v8n27 - St. Paddy's 2010

ST. PADDY’S 2010 Blarney! Jackson Goes Greener than the Irish, starts p 14

Constance McMillen: Teen on a Mission Wells, p 7

Is It Free Speech or Just Bad Behavior?

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Vol. 8 | No. 27 // March 18 - 24, 2010

ST. PADDY’S

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jacksonian

When defining his role in the renaissance of downtown Jackson, Stan Leflore, 56, feels he is as much a pioneer as his great, great, great-grandfather, Louis LeFleur, the French-Canadian explorer who discovered the bluff that would later become Jackson.

With more than 35 years in the retail clothing industry, Leflore is taking retail to an extreme level.

With business partners Hal and Linda Parker, Leflore owns The South, an 18,000square-foot, 1920-era warehouse.

Originally established in 2001 as a European antiques market in Pear Orchard Village on County Line Road, Leflore has moved the business into the warehouse located at 627 E. Silas Brown St. Leflore is taking the business “extreme” in how he chooses to display and sell the antiques. Although The South also is one of Jackson’s newest event venues, he does not remove his showcase when he hosts an event such as the JFP 2010 Best of Jackson party.

The antiques remain on display and for sale: 14-foot French and German doors become backdrops for photographs; conversationalists surround a Belgian butcher table; lamps provide ambiance.

“Shopkeepers, for the most part, sit in their shops all day waiting for customers to come in. With what I have chosen to do, I have a captive audience of up to 1,600 peo-

LANGSTON MOORE

stan leflore ple at one time on the weekends,” Leflore says. “This is a retailer’s dream building.”

Asked what motivates him to compete with the Convention Center, King Edward and other event venues, Leflore says his Christian faith is what makes him believe in the city and its renaissance.

“I felt like I was being called to do this.

My faith is by far the most important part of my life. Without it, I would be a train wreck,” Leflore says.

He also knows that for downtown to thrive, more people must live there.

Leflore currently resides in Vaughn, Miss., a 50-minute commute to The South, and downtown is definitely calling for more of his time. In addition to his own residence, Leflore is planning eight loft apartments in The South. He hopes to complete construction by year’s end.

This added entrée on his plate should make things interesting for his wife of 22 years, Jan, and their six children, four of whom Jan homeschools in addition to working as an international flight attendant.

So why is he doing all of this now?

“You have to get there at the right time. The wrong time can make you broke,” Leflore says firmly. “The timing in us is saying, ‘we believe,’ not waiting to see what will happen. It’s saying we are going to make it happen.”

—Langston Moore

Cover illustrated by Ayatti D. Hatcher.

COVER SOURCE PHOTOGRAPHS BY BEN WILDEBOER, SHAWN SEHNDER LEA, JEFF SANDQUIST, OZINOH, RASHIDA S. MAR B., AND CLAUDIA SNELL, USED UNDER CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE.

Mar c h 18 - 24, 2 0 1 0

VOL.

8 NO. 27 COURTESY COUNSANCE MCMILLEN; LATASHA WILLIS; TOM RAMSEY; COURTESY RIVERHEAD

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14

18

33

I Want My Prom

Begorra!

Guinness & Grits

Secrets Shared

Constance McMillen is fighting for her right to take her girlfriend to the prom, and the world is paying attention.

It’s time to think leprechauns, shamrocks and sequins. The JFP guide to all things St. Paddy’s starts here.

Two things you might not think of as perfect together just seem to fit on St. Patrick’s Day.

Chang-rae Lee’s “The Surrendered” highlights the human spirit’s ability to soar, even during wartime.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 4 Editor’s Note 32 8 Days

33 Books

4 Slow Poke 34 JFP Events

7 Talk 36 Music

12 Zuga 38 Music Listings

12 Stiggers 40 Slate

12 Editorial 40 STF

45 Astro

jacksonfreepress.com

contents

3

publisher’snote

ShaWanda Jacome Assistant to the editor ShaWanda Jacome was born in Jackson and raised in California. Family is everything to her and in this past year, she rediscovered her passion for writing. She coordinated the St. Paddy’s Day pieces.

Ayatti D. Hatcher Design intern Ayatti D. Hatcher enjoys the Discovery Channel, drawing, painting, printmaking, writing and graphic design. His art can be found at ww.angelfire.com/ ms/AYATTI. He firmly believes in the Double Tap Rule and hates Zombies. He designed the cover.

Valerie Wells Valerie Wells is a freelance writer who lives in Hattiesburg. She writes for regional publications.

Follow her on Twitter at sehoy13.

She wrote about lesbian teen Constance McMillen and her family for this issue.

Bret Kenyon From Pittsburgh, Pa., Bret Kenyon is a Belhaven College theater grad who enjoys working in community theater, music and writing.

He has worked with Eyevox Inc., Off Kilter Comedy, Hardline Monks, Fondren Theatre Workshop and the Center Players.”

Jessica Mizell Jessica Mizell currently works at MDOT and moonlights planning events and writing. Her interests include Nurse Jackie and locating Pineapple Big Shots. She wrote St. Paddy’s pieces and is coordinating the JFP’s Too Live Krewe for the parade this weekend.

Brent Hearn Brent Hearn is a freelance writer, actor and production assistant. He shares a house in Fondren with two super-cool chicas. If you enjoy his writing, he politely suggests sending chocolate in lieu of compliments. He co-write a St. Paddy’s piece.

Ashley Hill Editorial intern Ashley Hill is complex, in a totally normal way.

Born and raised in Chicago, she is a junior mass communication/ multimedia journalism major at Jackson State. She loves uniquely raw style. She interviewed wannabe Natalie Long.

March 18 - 24, 2010

Neola Young

4

Neola Young is a Millsaps alum and Jackson resident who champions Mississippi wherever she goes.

A voracious reader and music advocate, she plays a mean game of gin. If asked nicely, she will make you eggless cookies. She cowrote a St. Paddy’s piece.

by Todd Stauffer, Publisher

Thinking ‘Locals’ First

I

t’s hard to believe Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade—and the attendant celebrations both downtown and elsewhere—are already upon us. It doesn’t seem like it’s been long enough since the Great Snowman Contest of February, even if daylight savings time is here.

And yet that week has arrived, and here we are planning costumes and walking krewes and promising to “pace ourselves” this year. (We’ll see.)

St. Paddy’s is easily one of the major amenities that I love most about Jackson—the unapologetic revelry, the tonguein-cheek presentation, the gathering with friends, a little risque behavior in downtown Jacktown—all in all, an authentic experience that excites Jackson metro locals while driving visitor traffic through the roof.

This past week, Amy Haimerl, a senior producer for CNN/Money and a good friend to Donna Ladd and me, spoke at a Jackson Community Design Center event and on our Thursday JFP radio show and podcast.

One of the key items she talked about is how important it is for a revitalizing city to focus on residents first and worry about tourism after that.

Her thought isn’t a new one—it’s a key focus of New Urbanism and movements like those emphasized in Richard Florida’s “Creative Class” books. While casinos or football stadiums or convention-center hotels might be nice features, the stuff that really drives today’s cities are the music venues, bookstores, walkable neighborhoods, recreational opportunities and vibrant downtowns.

And if your town lets itself get hip and exciting—with enough creative people like, say, Malcolm White out there drumming up ideas—you might just hit on something like the Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade, which relies very little on multi-billion dollar government projects in order to create a heady little impact on tourism and local business revenues.

Just as we like to promote a “Think Local First” mindset for your shopping, it might be worth calling the development plan for any smart city “Think Locals First.”

Another thing Amy said that I hadn’t heard before was an interesting definition of the word “economics.” Economics is the study of maximizing values, she told us; not just dollars, but anything we value as a society—things like education, livability, safety and recreation.

A focus exclusively on maximizing dollars has another word for it, according to Amy. That word is “greed.”

When it comes to developing Jackson, it’s important for us to take into account all the stakeholders in our community and determine how our investments will do more than simply maximize the dollars that flow, but also how those investments maximize the livability of the town for everyone in it.

For instance, our story on homelessness last week started us down the road that

all revitalizing downtowns have to figure out—namely, how do we treat people who don’t have permanent housing, and if we try to remove them wholesale from one part of our community, how does that affect both them and the other parts of the city?

At a Jackson 2000 (www.jackson2000 .org) luncheon forum last week, Dr. Bill Cooley, local businessman, “social entrepreneur” and former professor at the School of Business at Jackson State University, made an impassioned case for permanent housing for Jackson’s homeless, pointing out that the cost-benefit analysis shows that it’s more expensive to move people in and out of jails and mental hospitals than it is to give them safe quarters that encourage them to reenter society, develop job skills and eventually support themselves.

But to do that sort of thing, we have to decide that it fits our values. The idea that we would spend money on the positive instead of the negative—even if it doesn’t always work or if there are setbacks or if occasionally someone is a lost cause—is a question of values. That’s particularly true when the evidence shows that doing the compassionate thing actually costs less—and we still, as a culture, pick the more punitive option.

It’s cheaper to educate students early than it is to incarcerate them later. Alternative sentences work better than prison for non-violent drug offenders. Public transportation is part of a solution to poverty, particularly when you’re only generating jobs on the periphery of a poor city. Alleviating poverty is part of the solution for cutting crime. And so on.

One way to start thinking more about our values is yet another bullet point that Amy pushed—formal “visioning” sessions as

part of master planning for our community.

There are some master plans for Jackson that could be dusted off and looked at, and some of this planning is ongoing on in certain neighborhoods (like North Midtown and in Belhaven and Belhaven Heights), but an overall plan for engaging the population of Jackson in a strong program of visioning and master planning could help everything from accelerated permitting and contractor issues to low-income housing, transportation, walkability, façade design and more.

One complaint I’m still hearing about the city is that’s slow to give permits and get inspections done for some of our local business people. During the campaign, Mayor Johnson promised a small-business liaison to help new entrepreneurs navigate their way through red tape; during Amy’s discussion at JCDC, she mentioned that Denver takes its artists so seriously that the city has a liaison specifically for people trying to get the right permits and legalese in place for gallery, studio and performance space.

That’s “thinking locals.”

We’ll keep the pressure on for more public discussion and debate and government responses. In the meantime, use the Community Blog at our Web site (jacksonfreepress.com) for discussions on eco-devo and societal values, and take advantages of resources such as the North Midtown Arts Center, the JCDC, Rainbow Plaza, and other locations and organizations that host and sponsor these discussions. (JFP will be there to alert you to them, sponsor and participate. Just ask.)

Let’s keep this discussion going and help shape the direction this city takes by encouraging Jackson to think local—and locals—first.

5

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COURTESY CONSTANCE MCMILLEN

‘I Want to Go to My Prom’

Constance McMillen models the tuxedo she planned to wear to prom at Itawamba County Agriculture High School in Fulton, Miss.

C

onstance McMillen unwraps a Super Sonic Burger from a bag full of tater tots at her kitchen table in Fulton. Her long, dark hair is curled, and her face is made up. She’s wearing a new black T-shirt that reads “I ❤ NY.” “Do you mind if I eat?”

She is tired and hungry and has at least two more interviews with reporters on this Sunday evening, and it’s already 5 p.m.

It’s been a busy day for the 18-year-old lesbian and a crazy week ever since Itawamba County Agricultural High School canceled her prom because she wanted to bring her girlfriend as her date. She also wanted to wear a tux.

A media frenzy had Constance in New

York City Friday, March 12, taping for three national shows. She and her family got back to town late Saturday night. Photographers and stylists from People magazine came to her home Sunday for a photo shoot.

Her dad lies on the couch, trying to get a little rest before another heavy bout of media attention Monday morning—they are supposed to be in Memphis to tape appearances on the “Joy Behar Show” and “Countdown with Keith Olbermann.” She has more than 4,000 new friend requests on Facebook and almost as many messages that she hasn’t had time to return. She’s hoping she can take a couple days off over spring break to relax.

For those who say she wanted all this attention, she says it’s the school district that created this circus, not her.

“They would rather cancel the prom because of the media coverage,” Constance says.

“That caused more media attention. All this media is good. People going through this will know to contact the ACLU or Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition. Maybe it will encourage people to stand up for themselves.”

“This wouldn’t have happened if you had the right last name,” Dana Stewart, Constance’s aunt, says. Her grandparents nod in agreement.

“It’s always been this way here,” says David McMillen, Constance’s grandfather. He went to the same high school and remembers which kids were allowed to get away with anything and those who weren’t.

by Valerie Wells “It’s about being different or outside of being the norm,” Constance says.

Inspired by Ceara Constance first challenged the school policy back in December. She went to the vice principal and told him it was unfair. She says he essentially agreed with her.

“I had heard about the Ceara Sturgis case. She really inspired me,” Constance says.

Sturgis, who attends Wesson Attendance Center, wore a tux for her senior portrait. Her school decided not to include her picture in its yearbook. Sturgis challenged the policy.

With that encouragement, Constance started making her case at the school level first. “I went through the chain of command,” she says.

Constance ran into a brick wall. By January, she had learned that besides not being allowed to bring a same-sex date, she couldn’t wear a tux to the prom. No girls would be allowed to wear pants.

“I don’t think you have to dress feminine if you are a girl,” Constance says. Besides, she’s just not as comfortable in a skirt. She also challenged this prom policy.

“Girls wear dresses, and boys wear pants,” the vice principal told her. “That’s the definition of formal.”

“No,” Constance countered, “that’s your definition.”

PROM, see page 8

by Ward Schaefer

BUTT

HARMFUL

for the JFP’s St. Paddy’s Krewe Before settling on ‘Too Live Krewe,’ the Jackson Free Press weighed a few other names for our St. Paddy’s krewe: Krewe-m Temperature – The ideal temperature for some cheeses.

Krewe-mbaya – Oh looord, Krewe-mbaya.

Krewe-d Awakening – Like the morning after partying on St. Paddy’s.

Krewe-l and Unusual Punishment – Get a stereo. Play

“Our office is working diligently to stop this potentially harmful legislation.”– Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood in an e-mail to coroners opposing House Bill 1456, which would require the Mississippi Medical Examiner to qualified to perform autopsies, have a medical degree and be board certified in forensic pathology.

Nickelback. Loudly.

Krewetons – The best part of a salad?

Krewed Intentions – We are an imaginary movie, starring Reese Witherspoon and Andrew Dice Clay.

Krewedités – Costume possibilities: celery stick!

Wednesday, March 10 The Southern Poverty Law Center, Mississippi Youth Justice Project and others file a lawsuit against the state for failure to provide community-based mental health services for children.

Thursday, March 11 Gov. Haley Barbour and House Democrats blame each other for the Legislature’s failure to re-authorize the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, an agency that provides workforce services and dispenses unemployment benefits. … House Chairman Ed Blackmon, D-Canton, kills a bill that would have strengthened the state’s open meeting laws.

Friday, March 12 American Civil Liberties Union lawyers announce that they will file an injunction to prevent Itawamba County School District from canceling the school’s prom after lesbian student Constance McMillen attempted to bring her girlfriend to the event. … A federal appeals court upholds the 2007 conviction of Ku Klux Klan kidnapper James Ford Seale.

Saturday, March 13 Republican Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts accuses President Barack Obama and Democrats of taking a destructive path to pass health-care overhaul legislation during a weekly GOP address, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, however, says she is confident the legislation will pass in the house.

Sunday, March 14 An American consulate and her husband are shot and killed while driving in Jaurez, Mexico, adding to the 50 people who were killed in drug-gang violence during the weekend.

Monday, March 15 Civil-rights era photographer Charles Moore, who captured integration riots at Ole Miss in 1962, dies at age 79. … Hinds County Supervisors deny Tax Assessor Eddie Fair’s request for employee raises, but approve a pay raise for Assistant County Attorney Edward Watson.

Tuesday, March 16 First lady Michelle Obama challenges some of the nation’s largest food companies to make healthier foods and reduce marketing of unhealthy foods to children during a speech at Grocery Manufacturers Association Science Forum. … Gov. Haley Barbour signs a bill that will ban cigarette lighters that look like toys starting July 1.

jacksonfreepress.com

news, culture & irreverence

Same-sex behavior is “a nearly universal phenomenon in the animal kingdom, common across species, from worms to frogs to birds,” concludes a review of existing research by scientists from the University of California, published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution in June.

Gov. Haley Barbour agrees to put back $82 million in the 2010 budget, p. 10

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PROM, from page 7

“Formal dress” at her prom would allow girls to show cleavage and have skirts slit high up the thigh. The tux Constance planned to wear would have covered her whole body.

Constance talked to Teresa McNeese, superintendent of Itawamba County Schools, about her desire to go to prom.

“What if I want to slow dance with my girlfriend?” Constance asked McNeese.

“I’m going to ask you not to push buttons,” McNeese said, according to Constance.

“I don’t like a lot of attention,” Constance says in between bites of her burger. “I have a lot of respect for others. I have a right to slow dance. I’m not asking people to be gay.”

When Constance took her complaint to the school-board attorney in January, the lawyer told her, “The prom is elective.”

Frustrated and upset, Constance went home crying that day. She called her mom, Denise McMillen, who lives in Wiggins.

After a heart-to-heart talk, her mom put Constance in touch with gay-rights activists in Hattiesburg. They put Constance in direct touch with the American Civil Liberties Union.

Her family supports Constance’s fight.

“A lot of people don’t like gay people,” Constance says. “Our school promotes hiding who you are.”

In February, a freshman boy at Itawamba County Agricultural High School came to school dressed like a girl and was kicked out, Constance says. He’s a home-school student now until he can take his GED exam. To protest his treatment, 18 girls including Constance went to school dressed like boys in baggy pants, men’s shirts, boots and put their hair up in hats. Constance wants school officials to see the pain that boy experienced.

“I want to help them understand, and maybe they can have compassion,” Constance says.

It baffles her why posters at school encourage kids to “Be Yourself” when it’s not school policy. Tattooed right above her left wrist is a circle with the inscription “To thine own self be true.”

“That’s a Shakespeare quote. I love Shakespeare,” Constance says.

On her left wrist are bunches and

bunches of skinny bracelets. One is a blackand-white braid of thin threads. One is a yellow plastic band with hearts and the word “Princess.” She has several skinny Silly Bandz, thin and squiggly, almost transparent little rubber bands.

“This one is a girl,” she says, pulling at a pink band. She takes it off and rolls it around on the kitchen table. “It’s not doing right.” She fools with it some more, and then it magically takes the shape of the international woman’s silhouette on every rest-room door. “See?” COURTESY CONSTANCE MCMILLEN

talk

Constance McMillen says she wants to attend the University of Southern Mississippi after graduating from high school and have a “normal life.”

Classic American Fulton is a small town controlled by a small group of conservatives, Constance says.

“This whole town wants to be like a Utopian type of place,” she says.

Coming into Itawamba County on U.S. 78, a sign proclaims “Itawamba: Native American Name, Classic American Community.” The high school sits on top of small hill and the neat campus looks more like a private school than a public one.

Nearby, houses under construction have solar panels on the roofs. Banners around town welcome home the 155th Brigade of the Mississippi National Guard. Joggers wearing Ole Miss sweatshirts run along the paved path along the Tombigee River.

While some at school and in town have been hostile to Constance, a lot of people have her back.

“For the most part, there’s good people here,” says David McMillen, Constance’s grandfather. He says several boys who go

to school with Constance called and offered to walk her to class if she wanted their protection.

“Yeah,” says Dana Stewart. “I work at Shell, and a lot of people come in and say, ‘It’s 2010—good grief.’ A lot of them are parents.”

Dale McMillen, Constance’s grandmother, says she is proud.

“I’ve always told my children, you are no better than anyone else. But you are just as good as anyone else,” she says. “I raised them to stand up for what they believe in and not for being something they are not. I love them unconditionally. I’ll always stand behind them. There’s nothing you can do so I’d turn my back on you.”

Standing out on the carport now, the women in the family take a cigarette break.

“Did you tell her about your community service?” Dale McMillen asks her granddaughter.

“No, I don’t want to be bragging,” Constance says, a little irritated and looking away.

“Well, you should.”

Dale McMillen is happy to brag about how Constance worked with the local food pantry and how she takes care of stray animals. Constance goes inside the house.

“She stands up if boys hit or tease dogs.

She’ll speak up,” says her aunt Dana Stewart.

“I want people to know not Constance the gay girl, but Constance the person.”

Constance wants to stay in Fulton after graduation. She’s planning on going to Itawamba Community College here in her hometown. After that, she wants to transfer to the University of Southern Mississippi and get a degree in psychology and continue at USM for a graduate degree. She wants to go into family counseling and do work with drug rehabilitation. Her family jokes maybe she should run for office, maybe governor.

That doesn’t interest her too much.

“I just want a normal life,” she says.

As for the plans floating around to sponsor an alternative prom—and there are at least four different groups proposing four different alternative proms—Constance thinks that’s really nice, but it is just not the same as having the prom she planned to attend April 2 sponsored by the school.

“I want to go to my prom,” she says.

Shut up and

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Anusara Immersion

Levee Board President Billy Orr is asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to put more emphasis on the Lower Lake plan in upcoming weeks.

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he Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District Levee Board is pressing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to take seriously a lake plan to coincide with a Corps-preferred levee expansion the board approved in December.

Levee Board President Billy Orr submitted a March 8 letter to the Corps pointing out that the Corps’ intent, so far, does not address the Levee Board’s desire for a smaller lake to be built between the expanded levees the board approved last year.

The board also explained in its March 8 letter that it wants the Corps to incorporate into the levee plan “access to the river, recreational features and development of tributaries, in particular, Town Creek.”

The Levee Board opted for the Corpsendorsed levees-only plan over a billion-dollar Two Lakes plan, pushed by Jackson oilman John McGowan. The rejected plan would have affected 7,857 acres of wetland and hardwood forest. The board added a stipulation to its December agreement, however: that the Corps consider allowing a smaller 1,500-acre lake between the levees at a later date and to design modifications that would better accommodate a levee-girded lake.

Thus far, the Corps has refused to accommodate any suggestion of an impoundment. Corps Chief of Project Management Doug Kamien argued to the Levee Board last September that the Environmental Protection Agency’s Executive Order 119900, created in 1977, directs federal agencies like the Corps to avoid direct or indirectly supporting any new construction that will destroy or modify wetlands like those along the Pearl River between Hinds and Rankin counties.

Corps spokesman Frank Worley says the Corps had not updated its opinion against any impoundment of the Pearl River since September. “As far as we know, Kamien’s statement from last September still stands,” Worley said.

But Orr’s letter adds that the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 legally permits such an impoundment. Board attorney Trudy Allen pressed that assessment last year,

arguing before the Corps at the September meeting that the act exempted a local lake plan from some environmental regulations. “(WRDA) doesn’t say it needs to have the lowest environmental impact,” Allen said. “It says it has to be environmentally acceptable. That’s the will of Congress: environmentally acceptable, technically feasible, and provides at least the same level of flood reduction as the (levee plan).”

Levee Board member and Two Lakes supporter Socrates Garrett said the Corps’ final position on a lake plan is still unclear, but he added that the board would have to press its desire if any lake plan were to be a reality.

“The Levee Board is prepared to do that, but we always hope that the spirit of cooperation will prevail, and we can negotiate our way through this. We certainly don’t want an adversary in this,” Garrett said.

At last week’s meeting, Mississippi Engineering Group Inc. acted upon a 2006 request by the LeFleur Lakes Development Foundation and submitted to the Levee Board a 28-page draft of its economic- impact report on a smaller Lower Lake Plan.

The Levee Board formed the LeFleur Lakes Development Foundation in 2005 to investigate the feasibility of McGowan’s Two Lakes plan—then called LeFleur Lakes. But the report reveals that the group embraced the more modest ideas of renowned new urbanism architect Andres Duany, who dismissed the McGowan plan at a 2007 charrette because of its cost—and the unlikelihood of the plan surviving many environmental suits, saying it couldn’t happen in his lifetime.

The smaller lower lake plan does not carry the significant cost and environmental impact of the McGowan plan, but the lake would still face environmental opposition, since its design calls for the inundation of a large portion of LeFleur’s Bluff Park, including the Mayes Lake campgrounds.

However, Mississippi Engineers Inc. claims the lake will successfully complement a supplemental project championed by Jackson developers and Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. to impound Town Creek, creating a waterfront pedestrian promenade with plazas, parks, shops and restaurants. The report projects a new corridor, extending from the Convention Center Complex along East Pascagoula Street, similar to mixed-use amenities and regional attractions of San Antonio’s Riverwalk.

The report anticipates the construction of the lower lake plan to cost $605 million, including $50 million for land acquisition, financed by a district expansion and subsequent property tax increases in the area.

The report expects taxpayers to pay $13.8 million annually for debt service on a 30-year, $200 million bond issue at 5.5 percent interest. However, the federal cost-share payment stops at $133 million, so the district must finance a total of $472 million, much of which taxpayers would fund.

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Legislature: Week 10

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Gov. Haley Barbour signed legislation Thursday restoring $82 million he cut from the state’s fiscal year 2010 budget.

B

oth chambers of the state Legislature spent the past week considering bills from the opposite chamber. The House amended Senate Bill 2923—a bill that expands domestic assault to include strangulation and requires a “cooling off” period between parties—to create the offense of attempted murder.

Mississippi law currently does not include the specific offense of attempted murder, which law enforcement says makes it more difficult to prevent assault and murder.

SB 2923 recognizes as attempted murder any attempt to kill another human being, or attempting to cause or purposely or knowingly cause bodily injury to another human being with a deadly weapon. The sentence could range from 20 years to life in prison. The bill also makes anyone convicted of attempted murder of an on-duty law-enforcement officer or fireman eligible for a life sentence without parole. The bill now goes back to the Senate for concurrence or conferencing.

House Democrats and Gov. Haley Barbour continue their war of public opinion regarding the Legislature’s inability to reauthorize the Mississippi Department of Employment Security with either of two bills.

House Labor Committee Chairman

March 18 - 24, 2010

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10

by Adam Lynch

Strangulation, Security and Suffrage BRYANT HAWKINS

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Rufus Straughter, D-Belzoni, did not allow Senate Bill 2404 out of his committee because it would have removed the two-year re-authorization requirement of MDES, removing legislative oversight from the agency and putting the agency directly under the governor’s control. It also did not contain language allowing the state to make use of $56.1 million in federal stimulus money for unemployed Mississippians. Democrats argue that the bill also does allow MDES to pay weekly benefits.

Barbour argues that House Democrats endangered thousands of unemployed Mississippians by refusing to pass the Senate bill re-authorizing MDES before the March 10 deadline, although he makes no mention of House Republicans’ refusal to pass House Bill 1346—the House bill re-authorizing the agency while allowing the state to make use of the federal stimulus money—with the required three-fifths vote.

If the Legislature fails to re-authorize MDES by July, the U.S. Department of Labor will take over the collection of unemployment taxes from Mississippi businesses.

Employers would lose a 5.4 percent credit against their Federal Unemployment Tax, resulting in a $413 million tax bill for Mississippi businesses.

Three options remain to keep MDES under Mississippi’s purview: Labor Committee chairmen in both houses could suspend the rules to reintroduce their original bills, although the success of that will depend on a two-thirds approval vote by their respective chamber. Barbour could also call a special session on the issue, either after the legislative session or during the regular session.

The Senate passed a bill returning suffrage to people convicted of some non-violent felonies, including writing bad checks—an offense that tends to disproportionately affect the poor, women and minorities. House Bill 160 passed the Senate with a 31-to-15 vote, after multiple failures to get the bill out alive.

Under the new bill, an eligible convicted person—who must currently have a legislator champion his right of suffrage before the

chamber—can ask for the court in which he or she was convicted to consider expunging the conviction five years after the successful completion of all terms and conditions of their sentence.

Other felonies suitable for expungement under the bill include shoplifting, false pretense and simple possession of drugs, among other offenses. The bill now goes back to the House for reconciliation, since the House passed a slightly different bill.

House Judiciary A Committee Chairman Ed Blackmon, D-Canton, let die a bill to strengthen the state’s open-meetings law enforcement, arguing that small-town politicians can’t afford the fines for violating open meetings laws and often don’t have a lawyer to warn them of impending violations.

Senate Bill 2373 would have increased fines for violations of public-meetings laws up to $1,000 and placed the fines on individual violators, instead of forcing taxpayers to foot the bill. The city of Canton, where Blackmon lives and practices law, has been embroiled in several open-meetings law disputes, most recently with a citizens’ group called Canton Quality of Life.

Canton resident James Cockrell attempted to videotape a Feb. 10 meeting of the city’s Board of Aldermen, and Mayor William Truly ordered him to turn his camera off. Truly allowed Cockrell to record audio only. One week later Truly reversed course and announced a city policy of allowing video recording of city meetings. Canton’s Board of Aldermen also came under scrutiny in 2008 for going into executive session to approve a $5,000 raise for board members and $10,000 raise for then-Mayor Fred Esco.

After weeks of sparring with House Democrats, Gov. Haley Barbour signed legislation Thursday restoring $82 million of the $458.5 million in spending cuts he made to the 2010 state budget. The money, recently approved by the House and Senate, replaces $37 million for K-12 education, as well as $33 million for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.

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public eye

by Ward Schaefer

“Employees shall not engage in conversations on their personal cell phone while assisting in any city business or direct contact situation with the public,” the policy reads.

Barnhart’s actions also could have violated a separate policy on proper conduct and behavior.

“Officers whether on duty or off duty shall follow the ordinary and reasonable rules of good conduct and behavior and shall not commit any acts in any official or private capacity tending to bring reproach, discredit or embarrassment to their profession or the Jackson Police Department.”

While Facebook communication may be widely perceived as private or protected free speech, it can bear consequences. Barnhart’s alleged comments touch on a rapidly evolving area of free-speech law.

“This is a very hot-button issue,” Mississippi College law professor Matt Steffey said. “The government, as an employer, has substantial authority to limit the conduct of employees on the job. If there was a rule that said ‘No Facebooking on the job,’ then I think he would have a difficult time making the free-speech claim that—despite the fact that he’s employed and has job duties—he should be free to Facebook as he wishes. It becomes a conduct question, not a speech question.”

Derogatory online comments made during first lady Michelle Obama’s March 3 visit have landed a JPD officer in hot water.

Barnhart would have a more legitimate free-speech claim if it was the derogatory nature of his comments that landed him in trouble, Steffey added: “If, for example, the JPD would be fine with him Facebooking kind things about a political figure—or a particular political perspective—but not unkind things, then you get into dangerous territory.”

Like all employers, government agencies have the authority to restrict the online speech of their employees during work hours. Private companies generally have greater leeway in

these restrictions, and stories of employees fired for blogging or social networking—about their jobs or not—have become common cautionary tales.

Speech by public employees generally receives slightly more protection: A 1968 U.S. Supreme Court case, Pickering v.

Board of Education, established that a public employee’s comments qualified as protected free speech if they addressed a topic of public concern and outweighed the employer’s interests. The Supreme Court revised that ruling in 2006 with another case, Garcetti v. Ceballos, which held that public employees could be fired for speech made in their official capacity.

The JPD investigation of Barnhart is not an unusual response. In January 2009, officials in Paramus, N.J., suspended a city employee without pay for making derogatory remarks, including a racial slur, about Martin Luther King Jr. and President Barack Obama on his Facebook page. The employee was reinstated roughly three weeks later after an investigation. Last month, a Colleton County, Calif., firefighter was fired for an animated video he posted on Facebook. The firefighter’s supervisors alleged that the video mocked physicians at a local hospital and, thus, tarnished the fire department’s public image.

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P

olished casual: that’s the way Nick Apostle, owner of Nick’s, describes the atmosphere of his restaurant’s new location in Jackson’s Fondren business district. After being located off Lakeland Drive for 26 years, Nick’s opened their new location on January 4, 2010, at 3000 Old Canton Road.

The new locale is a metropolitan dining experience offering Southern-influenced cuisine with a mixture of Mediterranean flare and paired with classic food preparation.

Nick Apostle

“We have a more cosmopolitan feel with a dining room that is intimate and a bar area that offers more space for the customers to dine,” said Apostle. The original goal of the new space was that dining would have a more cozy, white-linen dining experience while the bar area would offer a more refined casual atmosphere. Two menus are offered at the same time to those dining in the restaurant, which has worked well for Nick’s.

Nick Apostle credits consistency as the key to customer loyalty over the past 26 years. You will find the best finfish – black grouper, red snapper, flounder, true Norwegian fresh salmon, even wild-striped bass off the Virginia Coast – at Nick’s.

Apostle bases the beef product choice he offers customers on the way it is presented. Filets and rib-eyes come from Hereford, a more textured brand of beef that is 100 percent organically raised, and, when served, show that presentation is taken seriously.

“Our salads are winners,” said Apostle. For instance, the Smoked Chicken Toss Salad is a popular request: lettuce greens, roasted pecans, red onions and chevre cheese tossed in a bacon and maple-infused vinaigrette. Explore one of Nick’s many exquisite salads or the Smoked Chicken Salad sandwich: celery, dried cranberries, sliced almonds and dill chicken salad on a buttery croissant.

Try the Blackened Red Fish over arugula and fried green tomatoes drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, smoked tomato aioli and fried capers; or take a bite of Nick’s Paneed Tilapia with maple syrup infused sweet potatoes and buttered green beans with a molasses/Jack Daniels jus. You will get hooked after taking one bite.

Apostle says the duck is also addictive: the Long Island Duck Breast with roasted sweet potatoes is finished with a muscadine hot pepper jelly. Make your taste buds dance by adding a side order of applewood smoked bacon and cheese potato cake, sautéed jumbo lump crabmeat, spinach au gratin or sautéed mushrooms.

Visit Nick’s new location at 3000 Old Canton Road in Fondren or call at 601-981-8017. Open Monday Friday 11 a.m. to close and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to close (on Saturdays, the bar area opens at 4 p.m.).

Nick’s is closed on Sundays, but you can visit them online anytime at www.nicksrestaurant.com.

jacksonfreepress.com

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recent Jackson Police Department internal investigation is a prime example of the wild world of free speech in the Internet era. On March 10, the department released a statement acknowledging the investigation of an employee for “conduct unbecoming of an officer,” during first lady Michelle Obama’s March 3 visit to Jackson.

JPD command staff has not confirmed details of the investigation, citing department policy, which mandates confidentiality on personnel matters. TV station WLBT has reported that the officer under investigation is Chris Barnhart, however, and that Barnhart made derogatory comments about Obama in text messages while part of the first lady’s security detail.

A JPD officer confirmed to the Jackson Free Press Thursday that Barnhart is under investigation for the remarks and that he made them via his personal cell phone on the social networking site Facebook. The officer requested anonymity because department policy prohibits commenting on internal investigations.

Barnhart’s alleged actions could have violated two different JPD policies. The first policy governs department employees’ use of cell phones. JPD policy prohibits the use of personal cell phones while on duty.

WILLIAM PATRICK BUTLER

Free Speech or Bad Behavior?

11

jfp op/ed

opining, grousing & pontificating

EDITORIAL

‘Good Enough’ Isn’t

M

ississippi has not had a state medical examiner for the past 15 years.

To fill that hole, the state has relied mainly on Dr. Steven Hayne, a decision that has often proved unwise.

In 2007, the state Supreme Court tossed out Hayne’s testimony in the case of Tyler Edmonds, then 13, accused of killing his sister’s husband.

The good doctor testified that he could tell from his autopsy that two hands, from two different people, pulled the gun’s trigger.

In 2008, Hayne’s testimony was again called into question when DNA evidence proved that Kennedy Brewer had not raped and murdered his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter in 1992. The DNA evidence pointed to another man, who not only confessed to the crime Brewer was accused of committing, but also to another, nearly identical crime in 1990. Levon Brooks spent 18 years behind bars for the 1990 crime; Brewer, 16 years, including six on death row.

Hayne has performed an enormous number of autopsies: up to 1,800 a year by his own admission, a number that should top out at no more than 250, according to the National Association of Medical Examiners. Hayne also is not board certified.

Under pressure from groups like the Innocence Project, which was responsible for the Brewer and Brooks exonerations, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety removed Hayne from the state’s list of approved medical examiners in August 2008. But instead of investigating Hayne, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood responded by finding a way around his removal, allowing county coroners to sidestep the state’s decision by using an old law to redistrict parts of the state to rehire Hayne.

As a district attorney, Hood, like most of the state’s DAs, used Hayne’s services to back prosecutions. And recently, Hood once again rushed to get Hayne’s back. Last week, the state House unanimously passed H.B. 1456, a bill that will require state medical examiners to be certified by the American Board of Pathology and to be on the list of approved medical examiners of the DPS. In an e-mail to coroners and others, Hood urged them to contact their state representatives and senators to oppose the bill, calling it “potentially harmful.”

Lawyers spend their careers in pursuit of being right, often at the expense of the truth. The truth when it comes to Hayne is that he has been responsible for putting a lot of people behind bars and on death row. And the truth is that many have called several of Hayne’s expert opinions into question.

Mississippi and her top cop, Hood, owe more than a passing glance at those accusations. “Good enough” is an extraordinarily low bar when it comes to making life and death decisions. Hood should know better than to keep Mississippi stuck in that morass.

KEN STIGGERS

Vicious Whack

March 18 - 24. 2010

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oneqweesha Jones: “Live from the new Hair Did University television studio, it’s time for ‘Qweesha Live: 2010 Edition.’

“Just like the corporations used stimulus bailout money to stay in business and extract more dollars from the poor, Hair Did University School of Cosmetology and Vocational Studies used its stimulus grant to build a television production facility. The objective of our television studio is to provide HDU students inexpensive, extensive and thorough training in electronic media production. All broadcasts from the HDU studio are transmitted via satellite to the Ghetto Science Public Television Facility. From now on, ghetto citizens will use their own resources to communicate to the people.

“Chef Fat Meat is here to give a brief summary of the Ghetto Food Venders and Suppliers Association conference, held at the Clubb Chicken Wing Multipurpose Complex.”

Chef Fat Meat: “Greetings, viewers! When the government was forced to regulate the greed of some within the corporate sector, many small business owners, vendors and suppliers received a vicious whack of ‘no more loan’ retaliation from their financiers. My fellow associates and I witnessed many small, well-established businesses sink in the quick sand of a recessive economy. But how did the Ghetto Food Vendors and Suppliers survive this recession and the corporate backlash? We endured because we gave the poor and middle class people what they wanted: plenty of food and a place to eat.”

Boneqweesha Jones: “That’s absolutely right. And like the O’Jays sang, ‘You’ve got to give the people what they want!’”

KAMIKAZE

A Work in Progress

Y

ou’ll have to excuse me. I’m writing this column in somewhat of a sleepy haze. You see, sleep has devilishly escaped me for the past few days. I wish it would return. But alas, I’m a new father again so there are miles to go before I sleep.

My wife and I just welcomed our new bundle of joy into the world last week: A 7-pound, 15ounce baby girl named Bralynn. Since I coaxed the Queen into letting me court her some time ago, we’ve been praying for the blessings of new life.

It wouldn’t be so hard, right? I’ve already raised a beautiful 16-year-old daughter and an energetic 12-year-old son. I’ve taken on my wife’s 14-yearold as my own. This will be a piece of cake, right?

Certainly, if I could navigate through football and basketball practices, regulate phone time, mediate arguments over video game time, help with math or buy food for hungry pre-teens, I could definitely handle a newborn again. Why, they can’t even move on their own. They can’t talk back, yet.

They can’t walk, yet. Hell, you don’t have to worry about school, yet. How much trouble could they be? It’s kind of like riding a bike, right?

Wrong!

Methinks a bike would be much easier. What I did discover is that in your early 20s infants aren’t as tiring, when you’re young and full of energy.

Long nights aren’t as bad when you’ve got a full day of nothing to do. And it’s definitely different when you’re married and your little bundle is right next to your bed making a not-so-little racket.

Who knew that those tiny lungs could belt out such volume?

My hats go off to ladies all over the world who give us the gift of new life. I am still in ab-

solute awe of the Queen as she carried our baby around for months enduring stairs, the various aches and pains associated with pregnancy, still going to work. I often wondered if men would be able to handle such excruciating pain. Perhaps we’ll never know. But what we do know is that women need to be commended for ever letting us touch them considering the nine months of discomfort it causes.

Even as I experience it for the third time, it still amazes me that I’m a father. Each of my kids and my stepson are all my responsibility. I’m charged every day with providing them with the essentials they need to go forth in the world and be competitive. I’m charged with finding the time to mold their young minds and teach them life’s lessons. It’s my duty to take my oldest, and now youngest, daughter, and teach them by example how a man is supposed to treat them so that they won’t learn the wrong way.

It’s my job to teach my boys how men are supposed to carry themselves. Teach and then release, hoping that my words have hit home enough so that I don’t get that 3 a.m. call to come bail one of them out of jail. Or the 3 a.m. shock of seeing my girls on a “Girls Gone Wild” commercial.

I’ve realized in this time that you never “master” being a parent. It’s always going to be a work in progress. So for now I’ll be sleep deprived, hungry, stressed, irritable ... and loving every minute of it. That’s why I juggle so many things. That’s why I wear so many hats. That’s why my wife says I never stop working. Because my father set that precedent, and now I must do the same. Besides, have y’all tried feeding three teenagers and an infant? They never stop eating!

And that’s the truth ... sho-nuff.

E-mail letters to letters@jacksonfreepress.com, fax to 601-510-9019, or mail to P.O. Box 5067, Jackson, Miss., 39296. Include daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

LANGSTON MOORE

My Life as a Tree

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M

y life was as normal as it could be my first half-century. I was planted here in front of the Old Capitol to highlight its importance and beauty. Hundreds of tourists and locals have paused in front of me, gazed at my beauty (blushing) and said with wonder, “I bet that tree has a story to tell.”

I do.

It must have been 27 or 28 years ago, right around the time my new growth was coming in, when my easy life changed.

Don’t get me wrong, being exposed to the harsh but rare Mississippi ice storms, occasional hurricane force winds and the always wicked-humid summers that caused me to lose limbs and thirst for a scattered shower was not that easy. But none of those prepared me for the effects I feel from “the gathering.”

It was early in the morning, and the street was abuzz with people. They were all dressed rather oddly, in my opinion. Green was definitely the color to wear that day. Never had I seen so many people congregating on the street in such a uniform style. There were not too many people lining the streets or even sitting under me that first time. Most seemed to be to my left and a couple of blocks away in cars without tops and even riding on horses.

I distinctly remember the O’Conners were with me. Guess it helps that I see them once a year now, and little Patrick is all grown up with a child about the same age he was that first time. However, instead of a blanket for comfort they bring these covers they set up, and they sit in comfortable chairs that come out of bags. And man, there surely are a bunch of them.

As Sam—that’s the sun to you—began to glow brighter, the busyness of the congregation and on lookers reminded me of the hustle and bustle of the bees and butterflies that would be coming soon all around me.

And to be honest, I had never felt my sap rush as much as it did at that moment. I waited anxiously—actually, what else could I do? All of us did.

I glanced down and overheard two college-aged girls discussing the Bluz Boys, some hip new band that would be playing on top of a flat bed. Seems the girls had been following them around the bar scene and were anticipating their show. As the event started, the Bluz Boys brief pass by me wound up turning into an all-nighter in the parking lot in front of the building that held the genesis of the event. That event still goes on to this day.

Only three women passed by that particular day; now I cannot count them all (I think some are men). All clad in sequined green dresses, really short sequined green dresses. I was not able to view their waists because their breasts, woooooo, their breasts blocked my view. Their matched red hair put Sam’s glow to shame. Their sparkling eyes were covered with sunglasses—I know they were sparkling—and they danced past me like they meant business. Sweet Potato Queens they called themselves—still do. Only the thousands of smiles I have seen since overshadow the smiles they brought to faces that day.

People participating in the event were throwing things, anything it seemed. I saw cups, plastic coins and even Frisbees. That day I was not marred or bruised by these things because the slim number of on lookers made it easy for hand-to-hand exchanges. However, somewhere around the fourth green season, I started to see jewels being thrown to the thousands around me. I became decorated in all types of paraphernalia.

Bruised, yes; unhappy, no. How could I be?

My people were having the times of their lives, and they were united.

Even though I lose several new buds when those items are flung at me, I dare not complain.

I have not confirmed this, but I am pretty sure that one man named Mal started it all. The story has been told, retold, changed and embellished by many who have stood under me. Seems Mal fell in love with parades when he spent time in New Orleans. Once back in Jackson he realized there was no St. Patrick’s Day Parade. So, he did something about it. Today, the Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade is one of the biggest in the nation. Crowds gather, floats are built, libations are taken in, and the Sweet Potato Queens and Bluz Boys are still a part of this organized chaos.

What was once a normal life for me has turned into discussing the parade for 364 days each year. I anticipate it. I anxiously await the old friends I see and hear the stories of their lives as I shade them. I meet new friends that will return. And most importantly, I become decorated and adorned with many fine jewels that stand as a symbol, if only for a couple of weeks, as to what this city is—what I’ve known it has been for years. It is unity. It is hospitality. And most of all, it is ours.

The busyness reminded me of the hustle and bustle of the bees and butterflies that would be coming soon all around me.

Movie Listings for Friday, March 19th thru Thursday, March 25th The Bounty Hunter PG13 Diary of a Wimpy Kid PG

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She’s Out of My League R

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief PG

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Remember Me PG13

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Avatar 3-D PG13 Earn points towards FREE concessions and movie tickets!

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Editor in Chief Donna Ladd Publisher Todd Stauffer

13

S ’ Y D D A P T S Irish I was in the Land of Malcolm

by Lacey McLaughlin

Here’s the Sched

Wednesday, March 17 Noon-3 p.m. and 8 p.m.-11 p.m. Fatman Squeeze at Fenian’s.

7:30 p.m. Hal & Connie O’James at Hal & Mal’s.

MEREDIT

S

t. Patrick’s Day is officially March 17, but in Jackson, the party only starts then, with goingson around town right through Sunday. Make sure to check jfpevents.com for lots more fun.

H NORW OOD

by Will Caves

Noon-5 p.m., Sweet Potato Queen Million Queen 2 p.m.-8 p.m., Renaissance Rocks the Queens

March at the parade.

Welcome Party and shopping specials at The Renaissance shopping center in Ridgeland.

6 p.m., Sweet Potato Queen gathering with local musicians at Fitzgerald’s at the Jackson Hilton.

7 p.m., St. Paddy’s Ceili with Jackson Ceili Band & Irish Dancers.

7:30 p.m., Backstage Entertainment at The Auditorium.

8:30-11:30 p.m., Beth Patterson at Fenian’s.

8:30 p.m., Shaun Patterson at Time Out Sports Café.

9:15 p.m., Eddie Cotton at The Auditorium.

11 a.m., Trustmark Children’s Parade at the Missis-

10:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Sweet Potato Queen Big

Hat Luncheon at BRAVO! Restaurant (reservation required). $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Call 601982-8111.

Noon-8 p.m., Sweet Potato Queen Chillin’ Gossipin’ & Tellin’ of Lies in Fitzgerald’s at the Hilton with The Delta Mountain Boys (Noon-4 p.m.) and Chris Gill (4-8 p.m.)

2-5 p.m., Sweet Potato Queens’ The Everyday Gourmet Fat Mama’s Knock You Naked Margarita Party.

7:30 p.m., Backstage Entertainment at The Auditorium.

8 p.m.-until, Firefly Sweet Tea and Vodka Sweet Potato Queen Ball & Afterglow at the Hilton with the Bouffants and Kacey Jones. $10 tickets at the door.

9 p.m., Parade Warm-up Party: Kickass Krewe of Joosy Jones Dance Party with Passenger Jones. $5.

9 p.m.-midnight, The Peoples at Fenian’s.

9:15 p.m., Eddie Cotton at The Auditorium.

Saturday, March 20 8 a.m., Parade line-up begins.

8 a.m., St. Paddy’s Day Run, beginning and ending March 18 - 24, 2010

at BancorpSouth Building at Capitol and State streets.

Call 601-856-9884.

9 a.m., Trustmark Children’s Festival at the Mississippi Museum of Art 10 a.m., Pet Parade benefiting the Animal Rescue League at the Mississippi Museum of Art. 11 a.m., Sweet Potato Queen Class of 2010 group 14 photo shoot behind the Hilton.

Parade attracts a crowd of approximately 50,000 and is the third largest St. Patrick’s Day event in the country.

“We wanted to give people a sense of place and have a sense of humor,” White says. “It has always been very loose and fun.”

White shared his favorite memories and themes from the parade over the past 28 years.

1983:

Thursday, March 18

Friday, March 19

I

n 1983 Jacksonian Malcolm White was the manager of the George Street Grocery (now Ole Tavern) when he had the idea to start a fun, anything-goes parade for the community. White says he called a few of his friends, got a permit from the city and started marching in downtown Jackson during rush-hour traffic.

Today, the Mal’s St. Paddy’s

sippi Museum of Art. 11 a.m.-until, Fenian’s Fourth Annual St. Patrick’s Block Party with Sound Wagon (1-4 p.m.), Cary Hudson (8-11 p.m.), Captain Mackey’s Goatskin and String Band (2-5 p.m.) and St. Adonis (6-10 p.m.).

1 p.m., The Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade begins.

1 p.m., Doors open at Dreamz for a free all-day St. Paddy’s day party, with three floors of entertainment.

After-Parade Street Party at Hal and Mal’s featuring the Bluz Boyz, Pinstripe Brass Band and more. $6 (21 and over).

After Parade-Chef Luis Bruno’s Big-A## Boo-Fay at the Hilton for Sweet Potato Queens.

Post-Parade St. Paddy’s Crawfish Boil at Fire with Crossin’ Dixon, Grunge Factory and The Rock Shop.

5 p.m., St. Paddy’s Party at Ole Tavern with Dixie Nationals, Red Hill City, Furrows and The Peoples.

7:30 p.m.-until, Michelob Ultra Sweet Potato Queen Pearls and PJs Party at the Hilton with These Days, Jewel Bass and Kacey Jones.

7:30 p.m., Backstage Entertainment at The Auditorium.

8 p.m.-until, Sweet Potato Queen Pepsi Karaoke Contest at the Hilton.

9:15 p.m., Eddie Cotton at The Auditorium.

10 p.m., St. Paddy’s Parade Blowout featuring Good Enough for Good Times at Martin’s Lounge.

• The theme is “Put Some Irish in Your Soul.”

• The parade consists of White’s friends and community members.

• The route starts at CS’s on North West Street and ends at the George Street Grocery.

• Parade takes place on a Thursday, causing major traffic delays.

• Three friends—Jill Conner Browne, Vivian Neill and Cheri Anglin—dress up as queens with outfits bought from a thrift store, and throw sweet potatoes from the back of a green Chevrolet pickup truck, starting the now-famous tradition of the Sweet Potato Queens.

1984: • The theme is “Irish I was in the Land of Cotton” • Artist David Adcock is the grand marshal of the parade and plays an important role for several years offering creative input.

• The parade day is moved to Saturday to spare commuters.

1985: Parade and festival takes place at the Mississippi Fairgrounds.

1986: Parade grand marshal is musician Tiny Tim.

1987: The parade starts and ends at Hal & Mal’s.

2001: The theme “Space Oddity” brings out zombies, aliens and characters of all sorts.

Sunday, March 21

2002: Morning, Sweet Potato Queen Bathrobe Brunch at

the Hilton Jackson with food by QueenChef Brenda, with music by Lelon Thompson and Jamie Ward. $29 advanced reservation, $39 at the door.

12:30 p.m.-until, Fenian’s Fourth Annual St. Patrick’s Block Party continues with a Ceili (2-4:30 p.m.), Jim Flanagan (1-2 p.m.), Legacy (12:30-1 p.m. and 6-7 p.m.), Captain Mackey’s Goatskin and String Band (2-3 p.m. and 4-5 p.m.), Spirits of the House (3-4 p.m.) and St. Brigid’s (5-6 p.m.).

Check jacksonfreepress.com for more event information.

For updates and info on Sweet Potato Queen events, go to sweetpotatoqueens.com/parade. The official Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade Web site is www.halandmals.com/stpat/.

• The theme “2002, A Palindrome,” brings out parade marchers’ and krewes’ creativity in coming up with words and phrases that are the same forward as backward.

• During this time, White changes the route to include Lamar Street to showcase downtown developments.

2009: • The parade theme is “Recycle, Rethink, Rejoice Downtown.”

• The Trustmark’s Children’s Festival is moved from the Old Capitol to the Mississippi Museum of Art. • The parade attracts a crowd of approximately 50,000.

2010: The parade theme is “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” in honor of Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets.

Steer Clear of the Clover

by Bret Kenyon and Brent Hearn mentality, the townspeople beat them to death. Wouldn’t that be cool?

Bret: I’m pretty sure that was an episode of “The Simpsons,” Brent.

Brent: Darn it. I hate “The Simpsons.”

Bret: No, you don’t.

Brent: OK, so what about leprechauns? That’s a staple of Irish tradition. Where did they come from?

Bret: I’m not sure where they came from, but I know where they wound up.

Brent: A tree in Alabama.

Bret: Yup. Leprechaun lore bugs me, though. Everyone thinks of them as cute little green men that hide cereal, but the real leprechauns were vindictive, scary little imps. Tick one off, and you’re cursed for life. In fact, many Irish used to leave milk or food on their back stoops at night in case a hungry leprechaun was to wander past. Essentially, they’re kinda like a weird amalgam of dwarf gypsies and a green Santa Claus.

Brent: Ever try the milk thing?

Bret: Yeah, all I got were cats—lots and lots of cats.

You? Brent: Yep, but after a week of putting milk out on the doorstep, followed by the longest bad luck streak of my life, it occurred to me that my leprechaun may be lactose-intolerant.

Freaky little elf cobblers …

Bret: You know, that’s probably what SPD is missing these days: a healthy dose of fear.

Brent: Fear?

Bret: Yeah, every good holiday is built around the fear of something. Halloween: fear of the dead; Independence Day: fear of the British; Mardi Gras: fear of … Lent. And let me tell you, after reading up on Irish superstitions, fear was one thing they were not short on. Legend says that even their good luck charm, the four-leaf clover, could only be found growing on ground that covered human remains.

Brent: Hold up. If you can only find four-leaf clovers where human remains are found, you’re taking them from someone’s grave. So in Ireland, grave robbery equates to good luck? Or another possibility—maybe they’re commonly found at the same place as human remains because they caused the person to die. The Irish potato famine was

The Barstool Brothers

a lie! It was clover that killed all those people! It was CLOOVERRRR! I can picture it now: Sean O’Malley: We’re a wee bit short of potatoes right now, laddie. Why don’t you have yourself a couple of those fourleaf clovers there? They’ll make good roughage.

Son of Sean O’Malley: You mean the ones growing right here where Uncle Seamus died? I don’t know … are you sure they’re safe, Da? Sean O’Malley: Why, of course I’m sure! Here, I’ll show ya.

(Eats clover) They’re magically delic— Boom! Dead.

Bret: You’re an idiot.

Brent: An idiot that may or may not be picking up the tab tonight.

Bret: cough. And what say we toast to your generosity with a traditional Irish blessing that I made up just now?

May your homes always be warm / May your fields always be grassy, / May the milk you leave for leprechauns / Not make the poor boys gassy.

Brent: And might I add: May there always be potatoes to hold you over (or at least French fries in your freezer) / May there always be mead in your gut (or at least a Beast or two in your fridge) / Remember to steer clear of the clover / ‘Cause those things will effin’ kill you, man.

Bret: Cheers, mate.

Brent: Freakin’ clover …

LATASHA WILLIS

Go Green: Help the Kids

B

eing more Irish than the Irish themselves isn’t the only reason for thousands of people in Mississippi to make their way to Jackson for the 28th annual Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade on Saturday. Some of the proceeds from the event benefit the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, the only children’s hospital in Mississippi.

“It’s one reason people get involved,” said Matthew Johnson, coordinator for the Children’s Miracle Network at Batson Hospital. “Some people want to do it to help the hospital, others just enjoy being a part of the parade and festivities.”

Not only does the hospital receive proceeds from the float entries, which are tax deductible, radio personalities from local stations and volunteers sell bead

by Ashley Hill

necklaces for $1 and T-shirts for $5 during “The City Sweep” before the parade.

All money collected from this helps the hospital as well.

Blair E. Batson is a teaching and research hospital that relies on the support of individuals and others to help children get the care they deserve. Its mission is to treat all children regardless of their ability to pay. The money that the hospital receives helps provide “whatever the needs the children have … (and funds) top-ofthe-line equipment to better (diagnose and cure) the illnesses of these children,” Johnson said.

Some of the money also goes toward the Patient Need Fund to assist families that bring children to the hospital for treatment from different areas of Mississippi.

Although the hospital holds no official activities during the St. Paddy’s weekend, Johnson says that many families are grateful for the support the hospital offers, financially and emotionally.

Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade has turned into an internationally known event from a mere pubcrawl 28 years ago.

“The parade celebrates cultural heritage, a sense of place, a sense of humor and gives metro Jackson a taste of civic pride,” said Malcolm White, founder of the parade. “It is not only the largest oneday celebration in town, but it is uniquely Jackson’s own personality on display for the world to see.”

To make a contribution to the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, visit www. childrenshospital.umc.edu/donate.

jacksonfreepress.com

W

ith St. Patrick’s Day upon us, I found myself asking the same question I ask every year: At what point did St. Paddy’s become a green Mardi Gras? By the time you add throwing beads, extensive alcohol consumption and a national excuse for pinching women, you have two identical holidays separable only by their color schemes. To help answer this question, I invited my friend Brent Hearn out for drinks and general ponderings.

Bret: Okay, so over the past several decades we’ve gone from a deeply religious holiday to beads and green beer. At what point did Patrick join a frat?

Brent: And Patrick was…?

Bret: Sigh. You didn’t even click on those Wikipedia links I sent, did you?

Brent: Nope.

Bret: Sad. I thought you had a little Irish in you?

Brent: I did once. But it was in college, and it was a confusing time for me.

Bret: Never mind. I’m sorry I asked. OK, originally, SPD was a celebration of one of Ireland’s most well-known patron saints. Patrick is credited with spreading Christianity among the pagan Irish natives, and the churches of Ireland memorialize him each year with a Day of Obligation.

Brent: Are they obliged to drink?

Bret: They’re obliged to go to church. In fact, pubs weren’t even allowed to be open on SPD until the 1970s.

Brent: Are you kidding me? I thought this was a party holiday. Lies! It’s all been lies!

Bret: Well, there’s always Patrick’s groat, I guess.

Brent: Granddad had a groat once. Smelled like cheese.

Bret: What? No! Groat means pay. Servants demanded their pay to spend on ale—you know what? Forget I brought that up.

Brent: What about the snake thing?

Bret: You mean the legend that St. Patrick supposedly rid Ireland of all its poisonous snakes, despite evidence that they never lived there to begin …

Brent: Exactly! We need to figure out a way to celebrate that! Ooh, ooh, I know. We can somehow lure snakes to the center of town where, in a frenzied celebration of mob

15

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16

601.978.1839 6270 Old Canton Rd. Jackson, MS 39211

Makin’ a List

by Jessica Mizell

I

• Wear comfortable shoes Refer to the paragraphs above—utter humiliation, folks.

• Try to secure a tent A spot is hard to come by but so worth it. It may be spring, but it gets hot around noon, and a tent is a great place to set camp.

• Bring a chair I recommend that parade goers who aren’t too crazy about crowds be the bearer of this gift to the area your group is standing in. Usually goes best with a tent.

• Sunscreen More personal experience here: Do not forget to apply sunscreen to your earlobes, neck and chest region if you are female. Nothing is worse then having a tan defined by the outline of a few dozen strings of beads.

Guys may want to avoid that oh-socharming farmer tan and slather some on your arms.

• Green food coloring I have a friend who has done this in the past, and I loved the idea. A couple drops and green beer for everyone! Who wouldn’t like green beer on St. Patrick’s Day? • Cooler I suggest everyone take a small cooler bag. Just put it on your shoulder and go.

• Cash If you are planning on ending up at Hal & Mal’s for the party at the end of the parade, do yourself a favor and get cash before the parade.

Seriously, get cash. I will say it again, get cash.

• Tip well This parade is one of the biggest events of the year. Hal & Mal’s calls in all sorts of veteran bartenders and service staff from years past to make your experience a great one. Tip them well and ensure that St. Patrick’s weekend is a good one for them, too.

jacksonfreepress.com

MEREDITH NORWOOD

remember it like it was yesterday. It was the ’02 Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade. I went against my better judgment and wore the two-inch platform flip-flops I had ordered from the Delia’s catalog. The shoes felt like they weighed two pounds each, and after half an hour of walking toward the Capitol building, the tops of my feet had red indentions that were starting to hurt.

Fast forward three hours later, and I was tumbling down a hill and falling directly into a group of guys. My shoe was broken. It was all I could do to mumble, “Sorry,” and hobble down North State Street with one shoe on, and my humiliation showing up as a general redness in my face/neck region.

So, here are a few of my suggestions and items to bring with you for the best parade experience possible.

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D O O F S ’ Y D D A P T S Guinness and Grits

by Eileen Eady WRIJOYA ROY

March 18 - 24, 2010

S

18

wiss cheese melts atop the chunks of roasted corned beef. Under the buttery grilled marble-rye bread, Thousand Island dressing and sauerkraut mingle majestically. I take the first bite.

Sweet tangy dressing balances strong sauerkraut. Chewy chunks of salty meat complement the nutty sharpness of the cheese.

I found the perfect Reuben at Fenian’s Pub (901 E. Fortification Street, 601-948-0055). Growing up in an Irish family, we had corned beef and cabbage every St. Patrick’s Day. It is still my favorite meal. One day when I was in high school I noticed the Reuben on the menu at a local Indiana restaurant, Sahm’s. I figured that a sandwich with my favorite things would be pretty tasty, and now I’m obsessed.

My family and I are vagabond travelers and in each new city we move to, I search for the perfect Reuben to satisfy my hearty craving. Here in Jackson it led me to Fenian’s Pub. Fenian’s offers Irish favorites like traditional Irish stew, shepherd’s pie, and boxties (an Irish potato pancake). Of course, given my obsession, I ordered the Reuben. The sandwich was by far the best Reuben I have tasted. The strongest feature was the corned beef. On this sandwich it was cut into chunks instead of thinly sliced, proving to accentuate the buttery, salty meat.

The exact origin of the Reuben is the subject of some debate. One story is that a man named Reuben Kulakofsky from Omaha, Neb., created it.

According to Nebraskans, Kulakofsky was a grocer who created the sandwich during a poker game at the Blackstone Hotel in 1925. The second tale is that Annette Seelos, a leading lady of Charlie Chaplin’s, ate the first Reuben at Reuben’s Restaurant in Manhattan in 1914.

Regardless of this questionable lineage, my love affair with the sandwich has burned brightly through the years.

F

or the past 13 years, I have marched with the O’ Tux Society in Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade, save for one when I had to attend a Boy Scout camping trip with my son, Stuart. It is a high point of my year and something I impatiently await like a kid marking the calendar as Christmas morning approaches. The rush of being in that crowd on that morning is, to me, as close as I will ever come to knowing how the Beatles felt when they first walked on stage at Shea Stadium.

Most of the O’ Tuxers gather in the “big room” in the back of Hal & Mal’s to don our uniforms and exchange greetings, drinks and trinkets. I use the word “uniform” loosely to describe the somewhat similar costumes worn by the O’ Tuxers. Most all of us have on an old tuxedo coat, a homemade sash and a hat, but the similarities stop there. We have guys in kilts (this group includes me), grass skirts, floral surf shorts and even a tutu. The hats range from the ridiculous (think Malcolm wearing a KFC bucket) to the sublime (Donny Mitchell’s antique Fore-and-Aft Bicorn of the Royal Navy).

With the exception of the parade following the tragedies of 9/11, when I wore a fire hat from the FDNY, I’ve always sported a white, straw cowboy hat with a pinched brim and years of “party stains.” The dressing ritual gets started a couple of hours before the parade and by the time we call out for a pre-march speech from our Fearless Leader Malcolm White, many a shot of Irish whiskey has been washed down with a pint of lager and many a tinny version of “Galway Bay” or “Danny Boy” have been belted out above the din of celebration.

We assemble behind Malcolm and the Father of Waters Pipes and Drums and await the official start of the parade. As the pipers make their way to Capitol Street and the sound of pipes blends in with the roar of the crowd, the boys in the Pinstripe Band crank up the brass. With the wailing sounds of New Orleans jazz funeral music, we start our lap around the route, being careful not to swap too many TOM RAMSEY

The Perfect Reuben

BACON CHEESE AND GARLIC GRITS (Serves 6) 2 cups quick grits (not instant) 4 cups whole milk 4 cups chicken stock 1 pound bacon 2 bunches green onions 2 whole cloves garlic 4 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese 2 tablespoon Creole seasoning 1 tablespoon Tabasco hot sauce 1 stick butter Salt Pepper

Cut bacon into half-inch pieces. Finely chop garlic and green onions.

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat and add bacon.

Cook bacon until crisp, and add garlic and grits. Stir grits until well coated with bacon fat. Add stock and milk, and stir aggressively to prevent grits from forming clumps. Raise heat to medium-high until mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until grits are thick and creamy. Add Creole seasoning, green onions, cheese and butter, and cook until grits are done. Taste before serving and add salt and pepper as desired.

If grits are too thick, slowly add water. If they are too thin or watery, continue cooking until they thicken.

Serve hot with lots of buttery toast.

by Tom Ramsey flowers for kisses before making the turn onto Lamar Street and running out of our barter commodity.

The energy is palpable. The sound of the shouts, the sight of so many smiling faces—it’s a sensory overload that defies explanation.

As we make our way around the route, we scan the faces in the crowd for our friends and families, taking special care to look around the judges’ platform where the Bucketheads are holding court. At some point, Pinstripe will blast out “L’il Liza Jane,” which sends me into a singing, dancing, twirling frenzy. I don’t know what it is about this simple, 100-yearold ditty that moves me so, but it does.

As we make our way down the home stretch of Court Street, those of us who may still have some flowers give away the last of our prizes before we re-enter the street party raging outside Hal & Mal’s. Following our Fearless Leader and the Pinstripe band, we snake our way through the crowd and onto the stage in the big room. What was our sparsely populated dressing room before the parade is now a heaving and throbbing dance floor crowded with wannabe queens mingling with the locals.

After a few dances and toasts, my 40-plus-year-old carcass needs a nap, and my day of revelry ends.

I leave the party to the younger generation who do me proud every year. In earlier years, I would return to the fracas after a quick slumber, but those days are behind me, and I have a whole year to recover before having to do it all over again.

To muster the courage and the energy for such a strenuous morning, one must have a proper breakfast. When I was first asked to join the O’ Tux Society, we would meet at the Old Tyme Delicatessen at 8 the morning of the parade. When the Deli closed, my friend Bill Joseph convinced me to host the breakfast at my house. Every year it got a little harder to stay out late on Friday and still have the strength to host a bunch of guys and gals at the house at the unholy hour of 8 a.m., until I just gave up the late Friday night altogether.

Today, both Bill and the Deli are just warm memories, and my commitment to host what Bill named “Guinness and Grits” is a sacred vow. The menu is simple and hearty but really hits the spot when you need a base to soak up all the Irish Cheer to come.

Sadly, this year I will be unavoidably out of town and miss the parade for a painful second time. My signature cowboy hat will make its way through the parade on the head of Arthur Jones, Bill’s nephew, and my friend Will Wilson will take the mantel of hosting “Guinness and Grits.” I will be there in spirit, and I’ve already starting marking off the days on my calendar and counting down to March 2011.

Tom Ramsey is a lobbyist who teaches private cooking lessons. He is the founder of Ivy & Devine Culinary group (www.ivyanddevine.com).

GRILLED SAUSAGES WITH CRAFT MUSTARDS (Serves 6) 2 pounds sausages (country, link, Cajun Andouille, Italian, Polish or Irish Bangers—whatever makes you happy) Fire Craft Mustards

Build a fire. Put the sausages near, but not directly over the fire. Wait until the sausages are hot, sizzling and cooked all the way through. Serve with an assortment of craft mustards (the spicy, rough kinds, not the yellow, squirty kinds).

If you really needed a recipe to do that, you should hang up your apron, turn in your grilling tools, pick up some fat-free ladyfingers and go rent “Steel Magnolias.”

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19

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MARCH 24TH WEDNESDAY

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7:30PM – 11:30PM NO COVER HUNTER GIBSON

Watch college Basketball and NASCAR Racing

St. Paddy’s Day Party on the Patio

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Double Shotz 1pm-5pm Brad Biard 6pm-10pm Drink Specials, Shots and a Costume Contest!

2801 North State Street • Fondren District 601-981-2520 • www.QueSeraMS.com

by Jessica Mizell

What’s a Throw?

3. Cabbage Rare and usually thrown because of the color.

Would not recommend eating.

4. Medallions Beads with medallions. Considered a little more valuable than just regular beads.

5. Beads The trick is to not be too close to the float, or they can’t see you.

Unless you want to elbow up to the very front, stand back and watch ’em fly.

6. D ‘Blooms Easy enough to obtain, you just may have to pick them off the ground and watch your head. It doesn’t feel good when a handful of them hit you.

7. Toys For the kiddies, so catch ‘em and give them away. You more than likely will throw them away on the walk to your car.

8. Cups You’d think they were a great throw, but they get pretty annoying after an hour or so.

7. Koozies I never keep them. Are you really going to switch it out with every beer?

9. Bags they keep the other throws in Man, there is nothing worse than getting thrown the bag that carried all the beads that you didn’t catch. Who wants the bag that no one else wanted?

I hope your St. Patrick’s Day is a great one!

FILE PHOTO

Mal’s St. Paddy Primer

I

f you’re new to the Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade, here are a few facts about the main players.

• 1982 This is the year of the first Paddy’s “parade.” Call it more of a happening. This small pub crawl held by the leaders of what we now know as the Mal’s Paddy’s Parade.

• Kermit the Frog He’s the grand marshal of this year’s parade, along with the “It Ain’t Easy Being Green” theme. Kermit is one of the many Muppets created

by Mississippi native Jim Henson, whose exhibit closed March 14 at the Mississippi Museum of Art. • Malcolm White Otherwise known

as Mal, he is half of Hal & Mal’s, the executive director of the Mississippi Arts Commission, and all around lover and established supporter of Jackson. His idea for a pub crawl 28 years ago has morphed into the modern day Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade.

He runs with the O’Tux Society for the parade, so look for him handing out flowers to all the lovely ladies of the crowd.

• Sweet Potato Queens All hail the

queens of the parade! Started by Jill Con-

by Jessica Mizell

ner Browne in 1982, this group of lively ladies comes from all over the world to participate in the parade every year. There are more than 5,800 chapters in 20 countries now and the week before the parade, watch out for the influx of queens and queen wannabes into the city. The Sweet Potato Queens promote unity and strength in women, and numerous books and years later, the queens are still the highlight of the every parade.

• Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital

All money made from the Sweet Potato Queen Ball will go to help the thousands of children that grace its halls each year.

The Blair E. Batson facility is the only hospital in the state dedicated solely to the care of children.

• Hal & Mal’s If you follow the parade

trail, you will end up here (along with everybody else in the city). This is the location of the biggest party of the year, and as the host of the after-party every year, Hal & Mal’s will be ready for everyone.

Bartenders, managers and wait-staff from past years jump on board as part of the crew that serves your drinking needs, preand post-parade time.

jacksonfreepress.com

I

have family all over Louisiana, so Mardi Gras usually happens for me every year. It has trained my hand to only procure the best of the throws.

It amazes me the level of competitiveness that I have seen over the years, a competitiveness that ends just as the last krewe passes by.

I have had grown women pull strings of beads off my neck. One year, I witnessed Peyton Manning throw one of only two signed footballs to my friend—the most die-hard Saints fan I have ever met—only for a busty blonde to swoop down from above on her 12-foot ladder and take it.

I cried a little for him.

Here are some common throws of the Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade (and maybe some that aren’t so common). If you had to go by any list, this is your list of throws in my order of catching importance.

1. Coconuts A coconut is considered the most sacred of throws during Carnival and is sometimes thrown on Paddy’s Day painted green rather than gold. They are rarely used at any other parade than Zulu. My mother caught one 30 years ago, and I have not met another person since who has, so if you see one being tossed, I encourage you to fight over it.

2. Flowers These are given out yearly by the wonderful Krewe O-Tux in Jackson in exchange for a kiss. By far the easiest thing to get if you’re a female.

21

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retained its hearty Irish taste because, after all, it’s Guinness. However, if two to three drops of dye in a beer leave a residue or a light stain, nine to 10 drops ensure that the wearin’ o’ the green will be a permanent addition to the wardrobe. So handle with care, me boyos.

Smithwick’s - I expected this beer to “green” similar to Guinness, but I was disappointed to find myself staring at a dirty shade of greenish-brown. Needless to say, I tried not to look at this one as I drank it.

The Smithwick’s still tasted great, but some beers just weren’t meant to be green.

Sierra Nevada - This pale ale had one of the most impressive greens of the pack—just transparent enough to catch the light and dark enough not to look weak. As a bonus, I got some cool designs in the foam, too. This one’s sure to be a hit among the 25 percent of your guests who actually like pale ale.

Bud Light Lime - BLL held its green well but loses points for, well, being a light beer. Put it this way: While drinking this green beer, a teenage girl commented on how good my wine cooler looked. There’s just no coming back from that, gentlemen. It’s also worth noting that I used BLL to test the theory of adding blue dye to a yellow beer to create green. Short answer: It doesn’t; it creates a country-western song.

Harp’s - Another Irish lager, Harp’s turned a brilliant green. For whatever reason, though, no head formed on the beer—green or otherwise—despite being poured the same as the others. While I can’t imagine that the food coloring affected the foaming, this was enough to make Harp’s come in a close second to Killian’s. Which brings us to: Killian’s - I expected horrible things from this concoction.

Red and green, for those of you who have experimented with creating festive Christmas drinks, do not a nice color make. However, only four drops resulted in a surprising bright emerald. After sitting a while, it did take on a slight brown tint, but otherwise this red beer held its green.

Between the color, the unwavering taste and its underdog status, Killian’s takes the title of Best Green Beer of 2010.

There you have it. Enjoy the holiday; partake responsibly; and down a pint for yours truly. Oh, and stay away from the nice couch.

jacksonfreepress.com

T

his March 17, as Americans once again celebrate a foreign holiday with more gusto than the originating country, Jackson will run amok with green clothing, green food, green clovers, green men stealing cereal, and most importantly, the green beer of Saint Patrick’s Day. But for every local watering hole with its own triedand-true recipe for green suds, a dozen private party hosts are asking themselves the same question: how to make a green beer worthy of this year’s holiday revels.

I decided to personally test six popular ales to find the one that not only takes the strongest shade of green, but also retains that certain Irish heartiness. For this test I chose: Guinness, Smithwick’s (pronounced SMIT-iks), Harp’s, Killian’s, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and finally (representing America as the control group) the domestic beer Bud Light Lime. (The final selection may raise some eyebrows, but ultimately: (a) The survey needed a yellow domestic beer; (b) lime follows the green theme ... sort of; and (c) screw you guys—I have to drink this stuff, and I like Bud Light Lime!

Once I had the beers, choosing the dye was simple—mainly because Kroger only carries one brand of green food coloring: Kroger Brand Food Coloring. The proposed testing method was also simple—drip three to four drops of food coloring into the bottom of a pilsner glass, add beer, observe color, indulge. I followed this method to reach all of the results below, except where noted otherwise.

My first hesitation about creating green beer dealt with the possibility of things other than beer being stained green—mainly, my lips and teeth. The last thing I need when approaching the fair red-haired lass at my party is a mouth that looks like it just devoured a box of cheap green popsicles.

That, and nothing says, “Grab the mace!” like a wide, green-toothed grin. Fortunately, my fears were unfounded—aside from a slight residue left on the glass, I spotted no noticeable staining of the mouth region. I may now grin with impunity.

As with any dye, however, the threat of staining clothing is always present. I didn’t test this, mostly because I’m poor and have yet to find a white T-shirt tree. But judging by the residue left on the glasses, I can safely assume that most clothing would more than likely stain if spilled on, so keep that in mind as the guests get schnockered near the nice couch.

Guinness - Due to being a “dark” beer, Guinness took almost 10 drops of dye before it showed any color change—the final color a dark emerald; almost a black. The head did turn a frothy bright green, though, so the overall effect wasn’t unpleasant. Naturally, the stout

BRET KENYON

N’ I R E E B THE N ret Kenyon E E R G E

by B O’TH

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March 18 - 24, 2010

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COURTESY NATALIE LONG

atalie Long, a 33-year-old unofficial Sweet Potato Queen wannabe, is geared up and excited about this year’s Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade. The Mississippi State grad and Bogue Chitto native has been attending the parade for 10 years now. “A kid at Christmas” is how she feels every time the parade is about to start. She’s a part of the Capitol City Roller Derby Queens of Jackson, and although not as seasoned as some other Jackson natives, she has had her share of experiences during past parades, and with her “other” life as a third-grade school teacher.

March 18 - 24, 2010

How did you become interested in becoming a Sweet Potato Queen?

I read the first book by Jill Conner Browne. I’ve read all of them. And I became a big fan of them. And I that’s how I got involved, started going to the Sweet Potato Queen balls, not really participating as far as being a wan-

26

nabe, but more so just going solo or with friends and having a good time.

Tell me about your queenly journey.

I’m just a wannabe. We’re not quite inaugurated into being a part of Jill’s crew. There are a zillion chapters all over the world, and everyone, I’m sure, has their own head Queen. It’s just lots of fun. Lots of female camaraderie and having fun, it’s just great.

How does one act Sweet Potato Queenly?

Well, you’ve got to have a tiara; you’ve got to have a feather boa; at least my crew does. We always have a guy that chauffeurs us around and helps us and does everything we ask him to do. We also just let our inhibitions go the wind and have a blast. You’ve got to have fun, and you’ve got to have a tiara and a fun attitude. No sour pusses; no complainers. If you go do all that, you have to stay at home—you can’t hang with us.

How do you all try to recruit other women to join your chapter? Once you all get someone that wants to join, is there an initiation process?

Really, we haven’t done anything as far as recruiting.

Now if anyone wants to join, then that’s fine. But when you have such a great group of girls you don’t want to mess that up. We don’t really have an initiation process. As long as you are fun loving, have a great attitude and like to have fun, that’s our only stipulation.

ill

H

by Ashley

Any interesting situations that you can remember that have happened during the parade?

The kids that I taught last year, they saw me on the float, and they went absolutely crazy. And they were just screaming my name and saying, “Throw me some beads, Ms. Long!”

And when they came back to school that Monday, they had their beads on, and they were just so excited and asking, “Did you see me? Did you see, me Ms. Long?” It was kind of a touching thing for me to see them and have them yelling for me and stuff. So that was kind of cool.

How do you get prepared for the parade?

Last year I joined the Verde Do Krewe float, and we build the float in January. Our theme is “The Addams Family.” You’ll have to come check us out.

Have you all had anything terrible happen while on the float during the parade?

No, this is only Verde Do Krewe’s third year. And as far as I know, nothing wrong has gone on. This year, me and my band, Natalie Long and the Longshots, are going to be singing on the Verde Do Krewe float, and we’re going to be doing rock ‘n’ roll, and we’re so excited. We are the only float that’s going to have a live band on the float.

Is there anything else that you do in the community?

I host singer/songwriters night at Hal and Mal’s, and that’s once a month.

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27

’S Y D D A P ST He Drank, She Drank

by Neola Young and Brent Hearn

BRENT HEARN

want. That, and I’m working with a word limit here.

3. Count the number of green beers my friends consume. Uh, scratch this one. I haven’t been

in school for a long time, and even when I was, I didn’t have the advanced mathematical course work necessary to undertake such complex calculations.

2. Organize the beads I caught at the Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade by color, shape, size and shininess. This one may require some therapy, because

I may inadvertently remember what I had to do to earn those beads.

1. Practice the acronym “OOPS.”

He Drank

S

She Drank

W

hatever, dude. St. Patrick’s Day is all about beer.

Well, maybe it’s about more than that, but whisky is a whole other article. Green or not, beer is at the heart of celebrating St. Paddy’s Day, and especially when you’re talking about thousands of people cramming themselves into downtown Jackson for the annual parade. The fumes alone are enough to intoxicate anyone within a five-mile radius of downtown.

I should make clear that while I play the role of beer snob, uh, elitist, I am not. I’m really excited to find out how deeply green my beloved PBR gets when specially prepared for the Big Day. For those of you new to the beer game, Pabst Blue Ribbon is at the low end of the beer spectrum, and by low, I mean really cheap.

However, nothing tastes like spring and summer like PBR does. However, we’re only still creeping toward spring, and for now, Guinness still has my taste buds in its clutches and will have its own place in my beer consumption on parade day.

There is a reason why Guinness is the best-selling

BRAD TARVER

t. Paddy’s Day is not exactly the best time for us girlie drinkers. It’s the green beer. That’s all anyone talks about. You know what the problem is with green beer, though? I’ll give you a hint: it’s not the “green” part.

Green beer is still beer. And I’m not a big beer drinker. I’m trying, sort of. I’ve found a couple of things I can appreciate. Newcastle is OK. I tried a coffee porter over the holidays that was good. But in all honesty, I’d rather just drink my Amaretto sour or a daiquiri. If it comes in a bottle, I want it to be a Bacardi or a Smirnoff Ice. If the alcohol content is in the single digits (and not beer), it’s probably a winner in my book.

Still, life is supposed to be an adventure, right?

Right. So this year, for the first time, I pledge to drink a green beer. Okay, I may not finish it, so I pledge to drink part of a green beer. Ah, who am I kidding? I pledge to have a sip of a green beer. And thanks to Bret Kenyon, that dude I share another column with (Neola: “But you said I was the only one!” Me: “And you believed me?”), I know which one to try.

So what about after I’ve had my one sip of green beer? Then what? What can I possibly do to properly celebrate St. Paddy’s Day while everyone around me at the bar is swilling emerald sin?

I’m glad you asked. I’ve made a “Top 3” list. That’s right; I said “Top 3.” This is my column—or half a column, but let’s not split hairs—and I can do whatever I

O = Ogle (Check out the ladies.)

O = Offend (Say something stupid. Don’t worry about this one, guys; it’ll come naturally.)

P = Pinch (You’re already in hot water, so you may as well earn the…)

S = Slap And yet another successful St. Paddy’s Day.

alcoholic beverage of all time in Ireland. It is delicious beyond comprehension and essential to the enjoyment of beer. Guinness is an Irish dry stout, making it perfect for this glorious celebration, and it gets its distinctive color and taste from roasted barley. I often feel like I am eating a thick, slightly burned piece of toast when drinking Guinness. Y’all, burned tastes good in this case. The world consumes 1.8 billion pints of Guinness every year, and I suppose at least 1 billion of those are served up on or around March 17 each year.

People love their pints of this black stout. Granted, it’s so dark that it won’t turn green, but who needs green beer? To this day, many people I encounter in bars are astonished at seeing a lady knock back pints of beer at all, but especially Guinness. It tastes perfect to my taste buds, but I can see that some people might be put off by the slight bitterness and hoppy flavor. For me, Guinness speaks to my personal heritage and might even be convincing enough to make you feel a little bit Irish (or a lot, depending on your consumption level) this St. Paddy’s.

Look, even if you stick with the green beer that tastes like water to those of us with seasoned palates, you’ll be in the spirit of the season. Go to the parade and imbibe, follow up with a trip to the pub where you’ll likely get to cringe at Brent’s hilarious attempts at ogling.

Cheers! (Or slaps.)

Members of the Brandon Beer and Bourbon Club enjoyed the 2008 Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade.

Reflections on the Old Thoughts on the New March 18 - 24, 2010

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2. Orange Peel: 25% off all jewelry, Friday and Saturday 3. Last Call: 2 for 1 Irish Beer, Car Bombs, & Whiskey 4. Pop’s Saloon: Crawfish, Green Beer & Miller Lite Swag 5. Wired: 500 free cups of coffee 6. Fenian’s: Block Party (3/20) - $5 Cover, Drink & Food Specials and Live Music; Traditional St. Patrick’s Celebration on (3/21) - $3, Kids 12 & Under Free 7. F. Jones Corner: After Paddy hosted by Bailey Bros., $1 Beer 8. Schimmel’s: Grady Champion 9. Ole Tavern: Party on the Patio 10. Underground 119: Parking Lot Party, $5 Cover includes Red Beans & Rice or Gumbo, $3 Beer & Live Music by Fearless 4 from 2 to 6pm 11. Hal & Mal’s: Block Party

12. Mellow Mushroom: $1.50 for Green Beer and $3 for Guinness, Smithwick’s and Newcastle 13. Sportsman’s Lodge: Irish Shots & Drink Specials 14. Dream Beads: 20% off anything green (excludes purses & gallery items) 15. Repeat Street: Bargains on fashion, furniture, & accessories 16. NUTS: Lucky Discount Draw (3/17-3/20) 17. Briarwood Wine & Spirits: Wine & Liquor Specials 18. St. Alexis: St.AlexisFest 2010 19. The Pizza Shack: $5.50 Pitchers 20. Martin’s: St. Paddy’s Day Blowout (3/20) 21. The Hilton: Queen Central - McDade’s Markets: Beer & Food Discounts

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BEST BETS March 18 - 25

by Latasha Willis events@jacksonfreepress.com Fax: 601-510-9019 Daily updates at jfpevents.com

SATURDAY 3/20

Bluesman Jesse Robinson performs at Lumpkin’s from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. … Radio JFP with Todd Stauffer and Donna Ladd starts at noon on WLEZ 100.1 FM with guest Malcolm White; visit wlezfm.com. … The Sweet Potato Queens descend on the Hilton Jackson, and the weekend festivities begin with Emma Wynters at 2 p.m., Big Juv Brawley at 4 p.m. and Scott Albert Johnson at 7 p.m. Visit sweetpotatoqueens.com for weekend details. … Come to the St. Paddy’s Ceili at Hal & Mal’s with the Jackson Ceili Band and the Jackson Irish Dancers. Call 601-948-0888. …

Catch the Howard Jones Jazz Group at Underground 119 from 8-11 p.m. Free. … Don’t miss Saving Abel, Lynam, Taddy Porter and Creep Left at Fire at 9 p.m. $18.

The St. Patrick’s Block Party at Fenian’s starts at 11 a.m. with music by Captain Mackey’s Goatskin & Sting Band, Soundwagon, St. Adonis and Cary Hudson. $5; call 601-9480055. … Underground 119 is hosting a St. Paddy’s party in the parking lot from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. with music by The Fearless Four. $5 cover includes red beans and rice or gumbo, $3 beer; call 601-326-2322. … Come early and get a good spot at the Mal’s St. Paddy’s Day Parade in downtown Jackson, which starts at 1 p.m. at the corner of State and Court streets. The after-party at Hal & Mal’s includes music by the Bluz Boys and the Pinstripe Brass Band. Free; call 601-948-0888. … The St. Alexis Fest at St. Alexis (650 E. South St.) will be during and after the parade. Get red beans and rice for $5, and music by Ralph Miller, Caroline Crawford and KJ Joosy starts at noon.

Call 601-944-0415. … Jackie Bell and Dr. D are at 930 Blues Cafe at 9 p.m. $10. … Kamikaze and Yardboy perform at Cultural Expressions at 9 p.m. $5. … Irish Spring plays at Sam’s Lounge at 10 p.m. Call 601-983-2526. ... The late party shift is at F. Jones Corner until 4 a.m., hosted by The Bailey Brothers. Free cover 3-10 p.m.; $1 beers. Call 601-983-1148.

JAMES PATTERSON

THURSDAY 3/18

SUNDAY 3/21 Join the Celtic Heritage Society for a traditional St. Patrick’s celebration at Fenian’s from 1-6 p.m. with music

by Captain Mackey’s Goatskin & String Band, Spirits of the House, St. Brigid’s, Jim Flanagan, Legacy and Rob Millette. $3, free for children under 12; visit celticfestms.org. Also enjoy Irish music and dancing during the Mostly Monthly Ceili at Fenian’s from 2-5 p.m. Free; visit jacksonirishdancing.org. …

Open-mic poetry at Cultural Expressions at 8 p.m. $5.

MONDAY 3/22 The free student art exhibition at Belhavan University’s Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center (1500 Peachtree St.) ends today; call 601-965-7026. … Marley Monday is at Dreamz startng at 6 p.m. … The Detectives Mystery Dinner Theatre presents “Where There’s a Will … There’s a Way” at Hal & Mal’s co-owner and St. Paddy’s Parade founder Malcolm White will be on Radio JFP on WLEZ-FM 100.1 March 18 at noon.

March 18 - 24, 2010

The Jackson Garden and Patio Show is 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Mississippi Trade Mart (1200 Mississippi St.) and Sunday at 4 p.m. $8 per show, children free; call 601-919-8111. …

Unframed at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.) presents “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” at 7:30 p.m. with an encore show on March 20. $5; call 601-9483533. … The parade warm-up party is at Hal & Mal’s with the Krewe of Joosy Jones Dance Party and music by Passenger Jones. Call 601-948-0888. … The Molly Ringwalds play ’80s music at Fire at 9 p.m. $12, $17; visit ticketmaster.com. …

Eddie Cotton performs at The Auditorium at 9:18 p.m. $20. … Rock out with Come On Go With Us and Schooner at Ole Tavern at 10 p.m. Call 601-960-2700. … Sons of the Subway 32 perform at F. Jones Corner from 11:30 p.m.-4 a.m. $5.

TUESDAY 3/23 Mikella Williams and Gabbie McGee perform during “Live at the Legacy” at Jackson State University’s New Student Center (1400 John R. Lynch St.) from noon-2 p.m.

Neo-soul artist Sydric Reed will perform on March 25. Free; call 601-979-0623. … View artwork during the Mississippi Arts Commission’s “Day at the Capitol” at the Mississippi State Capitol (400 High St.). Free; call 601-359-6031. …

Casper and the Cookies play at Sneaky Beans. Call 601487-6349. … VideoHippos and Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez & Adventure perform at Ole Tavern at 10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY 3/24 JFP editor-in-chief Donna Ladd, Nsombi Lambright, Dr. Beverly Hogan and other panelists will participate in the “Women and the Movement for Social Justice” event at Jackson State University’s College of Liberal Arts (1400 John R. Lynch St.) at 6:30 p.m. Free; call 601-979-1562. … Catch Shaun Patterson at Bonnie Blair’s Irish Pub from 7-10 p.m. … Virgil Brawley and Steve Chester perform at Underground 119 from 8-11 p.m. Free.

THURSDAY 3/25 The Puppetry Jam at the Agriculture and Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive) is from 9 a.m.-noon and continues March 26. $6, $5 children; call 601-977-9840. …

V-Day 2010 at Hal & Mal’s kicks off with “The Vagina Monologues” at 7 p.m. On March 26, see film “What I Want My Words to Do to You” at 7 p.m. and play at 9 p.m.

Proceeds benefit the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Women’s Fund. $20, $15 for play, $5 for film; visit jfptickets.com; call 601-362-6121, ext. 11.

Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade on March 20 in downtown Jackson will start at 1 p.m.

COURTESY LATASHA WILLIS

FRIDAY 3/19

Cerami’s (5417 Lakeland Drive, Suite I) at 7 p.m. Proceeds benefit Hudspeth Regional Center. $60; call 601-291-7444.

books

by Katrina Byrd Chang-rae Lee signs and reads from “The Surrendered” March 22, at Lemuria Books (4465 Interstate 55 N.) starting at 5 p.m.

Call 601-366-7619 for information.

I

n “The Surrendered” (Riverhead, 2010, $17.79), Chang-rae Lee tells a story of love, loss and sacrifice with a deceptive ease that will hook readers from the first sentence and hold them to the last page.

Lee rises above stereotypes and sensationalism to embark upon story-telling at its best, moving through time with precision and skill, in the manner of other great novelists like Barbara Kingsolver.

The novel tracks the life of June Han, who survived the perils of the Korean War and made it to America where she became a mother, an entrepreneur and, eventually, a wife. June’s world is turned upside down when she comes face-to-face with secrets she thought were left behind in war-stricken Korea.

She teams up with Hector: a drunk, a fighter, the man who saved her life.

They haven’t seen each other for nearly 30 years. Hector flatly refuses to see June at first, but he soon realizes that his refusal is no match for June’s tenacity. They share

a common bond: a secret from the war.

Together they set out on a mission that rips them from the ordinariness of their lives and thrusts them into a search that could end in death.

The story unfolds using straightforward, descriptive language to merge the complex themes of hunger, sex, survival, motherhood and war.

At age 11, June is an orphan and caretaker of her 7-year-old twin siblings.

One night they spend the night in a farmhouse along with others who are in search of food, water and rest. The farmer and his wife provide a little food and a place to rest, but because the house is so crowded everyone has to sleep sitting up. During the night June hears a man cry out.

“His shoulders sagged. He was surely about to keel over, but instead he pushed aside the coat that covered his lap and a woman’s head rose up,” Lee writes.

For her services the woman received a “few strips of dried fish.” Then she returned

to her sleeping children. “[I]t was as if nothing had occurred until she glanced up and met June’s gaze.”

The reader is like an eavesdropper peering into the lives of the characters—seeing the minutest of details, feeling the heat, the tiredness, the hunger—and experiencing the action. And there is action. Lee creates strong, well-defined characters: mini-portraits of personalities melding in riveting, twisting, never-ending realistic action.

“The Surrendered” is a reflection of the human spirit, an inspiration that crosses gender, class and cultural boundaries. The characters are unfailingly spot on, delivering details about the story that we didn’t know or bringing forth a piece of undisputable selflessness that touches the very core.

Years after the war, June went to her doctor. She knew her health was failing, yet she refused to proceed with treatments that her doctor argued would increase her days on earth.

“My whole life I’ve cheated death,” June tells the doctor. “Please give the rest of (my days) to someone else.”

Lee illustrates the resilience of the human spirit, providing breath-taking views of what human beings must during wartime. He reshapes many concepts that we,

as a society, perceive as being wrong. For example, Lee takes the concept of stealing, an act that Christians clearly see as a sin, and places it into various contexts, exposing all sides, causing the reader to ponder the rightness and wrongness of the act.

This is a story that resonates with humanity, especially at a time when we are at war. But the story isn’t about war. It is about the human spirit and its survival, how people can be drawn to acts of heroism in the simplest of situations. The story is about loss and love, and how both can enter and leave one’s life at will. It is an illustrious tale of war and peace, guilt and happiness, life and death—and about how sometimes there’s no defined line of separation between them. In “The Surrendered” Lee takes a realistic approach to humanity during wartime. He explores how things work and how they malfunction.

“The Surrendered” is guaranteed to leave readers inspired, gratified and exhilarated. This story of courage and defiance, love and war, allows readers to see clearly the real people who inhabit this earth and how love, or the lack of it, taints this world.

This well-written piece of literature will encourage readers to think and ask questions of themselves and others around them.

jacksonfreepress.com

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jfpevents JFP SPONSORED EVENTS Radio JFP on WLEZ ongoing, at WLEZ 100.1 FM. Join Donna Ladd and Todd Stauffer every Thursday from noon-1 p.m., where they will discuss vital issues, play local music and feature special guests. Malcolm White appears this Thursday. The broadcast is live at wlezfm.com. Call 601-362-6121, ext. 17.

St. Patrick’s Block Party March 20-21, 11 a.m., at Fenian’s Pub (901 Fortification St.). The indoor and outdoor festivities include signature Irish dishes, premium Irish beer and live music both days with Captain’s Mackey Goatskin and String Band Soundwagon, St. Adonis, Cary Hudson and others.

The kitchen is open until midnight, and the pub is open until 1 a.m. $5; call 601-948-0055.

V-Day 2010 March 25-26, at Hal and Mal’s (200 Commerce St.). The two-day event includes performances of the play “The Vagina Monologues” by Eve Ensler, a groundbreaking play about women’s experiences, and the film “What I Want My Words to Do to You.” The play starts at 7 p.m. on March 25 and 9 p.m. on March 26. The movie starts at 7 p.m. on March 26. Proceeds benefit the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Women’s Fund of Mississippi. $20 for play and film, $15 for play only, $5 for film only; call 601362-6121, ext. 11; visit jfptickets.com.

Mississippi Happening March 25, 7 p.m. The live monthly broadcast is hosted by Guaqueta Productions and features a special musical guest. Download the free podcast at mississippihappening.com.

COMMUNITY

THIS WEEK COMMUNITY

SPRING MARKET: BOUTIQUE SHOPPING AT ITS FINEST Presented by MidSouth Media Group.

Jackson Convention Complex, March 25-27, 9am, $8.00 www.midsouthmediagroup.com CULTURE

THE LEGACY OF TIMBUKTU: WONDERS OF THE WRITTEN WORD EXHIBITION International Museum of Muslim Culture 601-960-0440, www.muslimmuseum.org MUSIC

MOLLY RINGWALDS Fire, March 19th, 9pm 601-592-1000, www.fireclubjackson.com

DINING

OLD CAPITOL INN March 18 - 24, 2010

Stop by the Old Capitol Inn for the Chicken Enchiladas or the Mississippi Tilapia.

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Visit www.downtown-jackson.com for a complete calendar.

Call 601-353-9800 for calendar information.

St. Paddy’s Weekend with the Sweet Potato Queens March 18-21, at Hilton Jackson (1001 E. County Line Road). The four-day weekend consists of several celebrations on Thirsty Thursday, Friday Frivolity, Spectacular Saturday and Sweet Sunday.

Visit the Web site for more details on events and additional locations. Weekend passes are available; additional ticket prices may apply for some events. $69 in advance online, $80 if bought locally; visit sweetpotatoqueens.com/parade.

Precinct 3 COPS Meeting March 18, 6 p.m., at Jackson Police Department - Precinct 3 (3925 W. Northside Drive). These monthly forums are designed to help resolve community issues or problems, from crime to potholes. Call 601-960-0003.

Jackson Rainbow Families Movie Night March 18, 6:30 p.m., at Safe Harbor Family Church (2147 Henry Hill Dr.). The LGBT parents group will show a movie and serve pizza and popcorn. Free; call 601-559-6133 (after 6 p.m.).

SafeHeart Screenings March 19, 8 a.m., at Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.), in the Community Room. SafeHeart Health Screens of Hattiesburg will do five ultrasound and EKG screenings. $129, free for those who qualify; call 601-450-5483 or 866-548-3006.

Jackson Garden and Patio Show March 19-21, at Mississippi Trade Mart (1200 Mississippi St.).

Attend seminars on gardening, landscaping and outdoor decorating. The shows are from 10 a.m.5 p.m. March 19, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 20 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 21. $8 per day, children 10 and under free; call 601-919-8111.

Adopt an Animal Day March 17, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St.). Adopt an animal, and your donation will go toward its care.

Adoptions are good for one year and renewable.

Visit the Jackson Zoo Web site for an application. $25-$500; call 601-352-2582.

Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade March 20, 1 p.m., in downtown Jackson. This year’s theme is “It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Green.” The parade begins on the corner of State and Court streets. Call 601-948-0888.

Mostly Monthly Ceili March 21, 2 p.m., at Fenian’s (901 E. Fortification St.), part of the St.

Patrick’s Block Party. Attend a family-friendly gathering of folks interested in Irish music and dance. No experience is necessary. Food and drinks are available, which includes Fenian’s Sunday brunch (until 3 p.m.) Free admission; e-mail emeraldrose2@yahoo.com.

Mississippi Region II Science and Engineering Fair March 23-24, at Jackson State University, Williams Athletics and Assembly Center (1400 John R. Lynch St.). Students from grades one through 12 will present projects in the areas of science, mathematics and technology. Free; call 601-979-1603.

Jackson Audubon Society Monthly Chapter Meeting March 23, 6:30 p.m., at Eudora Welty Library (300 N. State St.). Falconer David hall will do a live raptor demonstration. Open to the public.

Free; call 601-956-7444.

“History Is Lunch” March 24, 12 p.m., at William F. Winter Archives and History Building (200 North St.). Editor Peggy W. Jeanes discusses “Mississippi History Now,” an online publication of the Mississippi Historical Society. Bring your own lunch; coffee/water provided. Free; call 601576-6850.

“Women and the Movement for Social Justice” March 24, 6:30 p.m., at Jackson State University (1400 Lynch St.), in the Dollye M.E. Robinson Liberal Arts Building, room 266. Panelists will discuss the importance of social justice in today’s society. Panelists include Dr. Beverly Wade Hogan, Donna Ladd and Nsombi Lambright. Call 601979-1562.

“Growing Up In Mississippi: 1857-1888” through April 30, at Manship House (420 E. Fortification St.). Hands-on activities teach children what life was like for 19th-century children in Mississippi.

Reservations are required. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Monday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 8 a.m.1 p.m. Saturday. Free; call 601-961-4724.

Greater Belhaven Market through Dec. 18, at Mississippi Farmers Market (929 High St.). Be sure to stop by and buy some produce or other food or gift items. The market is open from 8 a.m.-2 p.m every Saturday. Free admission; call 601-506-2848 or 601-354-6573.

MUSIC “Live at the Legacy” March 23, noon-2 p.m., at Jackson State University (1400 Lynch St.), in the new Student Center. Performers include Mikella Williams and Gabbie McGee. Free; call 601-9790623.

STAGE AND SCREEN “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Documentary Filming March 19-20, at Mad Genius (279 S. Perkins St., Ridgeland). Former cast members, extras and crew members are invited to share their memories of the making of the film on video, which will be shown before the screening of “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” during the Crossroads Film Festival in April. Videotaping is set for March 19 from 3-6 p.m. and March 20 from noon-4 p.m.

Participants are encouraged to bring pictures, props or costumes from the set. Call 601-832-4921.

“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” March 19-20, at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.). Enjoy a parody of the plays written by William Shakespeare, with all of them being performed in shortened form by three actors.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. both nights. $5; call 601-948-3533.

“Where There’s a Will...There’s a Way” Fundraiser March 22, 7 p.m., at Cerami’s Italian Restaurant(5417 Highway 25, Suite I, Flowood). The performance is presented by The Detectives Mystery Dinner Theatre and includes salad, entrees and dessert. Proceeds benefit Hudspeth Regional Center. $60; call 601-291-7444.

Shut Up and Write! April 3–June 12, at JFP Classroom (2727 Old Canton Road, Suite 224).

Sign up for the workshop series of JFP Editorin-Chief Donna Ladd’s popular non-fiction and creative writing classes. The class will be held every other Saturday from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Men and women are welcome. Gift certificates are available. $150 (including materials), $75 non-refundable deposit required; call 601-362-6121, ext. 16; e-mail class@jacksonfreepress.com.

Spring Break Create Days March 16-18, at ArtWorks Studios (160 W. Government St., Brandon).

The studio is offering the opportunity for students to come and create art over spring break. Call to get a schedule of activities. Walk-ins are welcome if space is available, or call to reserve a spot. Parents must stay with children under 5, and parent can also participate. $15 per session; call 601-622-5511.

Spring Figure Drawing Class March 22-May 24, at Gallery 119 (119 S. President St.). The 10-week class will be held Mondays from 6-9 p.m. The class is intended to provide the students with new insight into how to see more accurately what they are trying to draw by way of certain exercises, some of which have roots in 19th century academic drawing and some from a more contemporary perspective. Space is limited. $275; call 601-668-5408.

Millsaps Enrichment Series: Spruce Up for Spring! March 23, 6:30 p.m., at A Daisy a Day (Maywood Mart, 1221 E. Northside Drive). You will learn how to create springtime arrangements for your mantle, tablescapes and wreaths. $25; call 601-974-1130.

LITERARY AND SIGNINGS “A God-Guided Life” March 18, 11:30 a.m., at Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.), at Center Stage in the Thad Cochran Center.

Dr. Samuel Okoye will sign copies of his book and will discuss how his personal life influenced it. Call 601-982-8467.

“The Surrendered” March 22, 5 p.m., at Lemuria Books (202 Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 N.).

Chang-rae Lee signs copies of his book; reading at 5:30 p.m. $26.95 book; call 601-366-7619.

“Escape From Paradise: How to Win Against All Odds” March 25, 5:30 p.m., at Koinonia Coffee House (136 S. Adams St., Suite C). Dr. Pauline Pearson Hathorn signs copies of her book. $15.99 book; call 601-566-6995.

PBS Kids Go! Writers Contest through March 31, at Mississippi Public Broadcasting (3825 Ridgewood Road). Children in kindergarten through 3rd grade can submit original stories with illustrations. Applications are available online at mpbonline.org/mpbkids. Free; call 601-432-6565.

GALLERIES Artist Reception March 18, 5 p.m., at Southern Breeze Gallery (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland). See featured works by Alice Hammell.

Free admission; call 601-607-4147.

Jackson Street Gallery’s 4th Anniversary Celebration March 18, 7 p.m., at 500 Highway 51, Suite E. As part of a month-long celebration, the gallery will feature artist Opal Smith. Free admission; call 601-853-1880.

Edwina Goodman Retrospective Exhibit March 18-31, at Brown’s Fine Art (630 Fondren Place). Goodman’s still lifes, landscapes, contemporary art and collages will be on display. An opening reception on March 18 will be from 5-8 p.m. Free admission; call 601-982-4844.

Annual Belhaven Student Exhibition through March 22, at Belhaven University, Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center (1500 Peachtree St.). This annual exhibition of student works highlights a

wide range of styles and media including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and mixed media.

Free; call 601-965-7026.

Mississippi Arts Commission’s Day at the Capitol March 23, 8 a.m., at Mississippi State Capitol (400 High St.). The Mississippi State Capitol will come alive with all things art in support of the arts across Mississippi. Free; call 601-359-6031.

“Working Bird” Exhibit through March 26, at Hinds Community College, Raymond Campus (501 E. Main St., Raymond), in the Marie Hull Gallery. See artwork by Ashley and Virginia Chavis.

Hours are Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m.-noon. The gallery is closed during spring break, March 15-19. Free; call 601857-3321.

We’ ve g o t jus t t h e t h i n g waiting at the end of this rainbow.

EXHIBITS AND OPENINGS The Extreme Designers Fashion Showcase PreSocial March 20, 6 p.m., at Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.), at Elim’s Art Concepts and Decorative Design. The meet-and-greet is a networking opportunity for aspiring fashion designers, models, makeup artists and photographers. Free; call 601-572-7722 or 601-720-7517.

“Backyards and Beyond” through April 1, at the Arts Center of Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St.).

The post-Katrina exhibition of over 80 paintings and sculptures by H.C. Porter is paired with audio recordings. Proceeds benefit Backyards and Beyond.

Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.5 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Donations welcome; e-mail tomjohnson14@comcast.net.

Power APAC Exhibit of Scholastics through April 18, at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). Artwork by winners of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are on display 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. on Sundays. Free; call 601-960-5300.

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“Petitions, Protests, and Patriotism: Mississippi Women in Preservation, 1900-1950” March 16May 9, at Old Capitol Museum (100 S. State St.).

In honor of National Women’s History Month, this exhibit features influential women in Mississippi.

Free; call 601-576-6920.

“Home Sweet Home” Exhibit through May 13, at Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive). Smokey the Bear and Woodsy Owl come to life in the exhibit. Museum hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. $3-$5, free for members and children under 3; call 601-354-7303.

Check jfpevents.com for updates and more listings. To add an event, e-mail all details (phone number, start/ end date and time, street address, cost, URL, etc.) to events@jacksonfreepress.com or fax to 601-510-9019.

The deadline is noon the Thursday prior to the week of publication. Or, add the event online yourself; check out jfpevents.com for instructions.

BE THE CHANGE Footsteps in Hope Walk Fundraiser through March 28. The 8K walk/run on March 28 at Old Trace Park (Post Road, Ridgeland) at 2 p.m. is in support of HIV/AIDS projects.

Donations welcome; call 901-338-7011; visit footstepsinhope.org.

“Support Haiti Relief” Show through March 31, at Bryant Galleries (3010 Lakeland Cove). 50 percent of all sales from the Haitian collection will go to the American Red Cross Haitian Relief Fund. Free admission; call 601-932-5099.

Mustard Seed Book Drive through April 5, at Borders (100 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood).

Donate books in good condition to the residents of The Mustard Seed. Donations welcome; call 601-992-3556.

jacksonfreepress.com

CREATIVE CLASSES

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music

Auto-Tune: A Rant PUBLIC DOMAIN

by Andi Agnew

Aretha Franklin may not hit every note in perfect pitch every time, but no one could argue that she posseses stellar vocal talent.

T

here once was a local television commercial with cute children singing “This Little Light of Mine.” One of the cutest things about children singing is the fact that they are children, and therefore they may not hit every single note spot-on. But this commercial was so far from cute I had to mute it every time it came on. These children sounded like robots, their little lights magically shining in perfect pitch. The culprit was a relatively new technology called Auto-Tune, which automatically tunes a pitch to make it perfect. Auto-Tune also automatically drives me over the edge just about any time I hear it.

Sasha Frere-Jones wrote in The New Yorker that oilindustry engineer Andy Hildebrand developed Auto-Tune.

One obvious use of the program was on Cher’s 1998 song, “Believe.” Artists have used this effect more and more into the 21st century, changing the sound of pop music as we know it.

March 18 - 24, 2010

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Eddie Cotton Thursday through Saturday. And blues-roots jukeman Scott Albert Johnson will bring his blues to Underground 119 Friday night. Johnson won “Best Local Musician” in the JFP’s 2010 “Best of Jackson.” Also Friday, the Sons of the Subway return to F. Jones Corner Friday, with late night blues from 11:30 p.m.-4 a.m., $5.

Friday night Hal & Mal’s is hosting a parade warm-up party with the Kickass Krewe of Joosy Jones Dance Party and local favorites Passenger Jones to lend a hand.

The ’80s tribute band The Molly Ringwalds will supply the soundtrack for Fire Friday night, 9 p.m. They put on an eclectic ‘80s party mix, playing everything from hair metal to Adam Ant. For the more harmonious indie-rock vibe Friday, the best action is at Ole Tavern where the North Carolinabased band Schooner will perform. Come On Go With Us, a Starkville-based southern- rock outfit, will open the show.

Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. Saturday, and post-parade action will be all over town. The Blues Brothersinspired Bluz Boys, The Pinstripe Brass

every artist with a solo, even Barbra Streisand. I could write an entire column on what is wrong with the new version of the song, but the most egregious offender was Auto-Tune.

Some artists won’t use Auto-Tune; they are just as worried as I am about the increasing rash of performers who use it regularly. Death Cab for Cutie protested the overuse of Auto-Tune by wearing blue lapel ribbons at the Grammys in 2009. In a 2006 Pitchfork interview, Neko Case rips Shania Twain and Celine Dion, among others, for their overuse of the effect: “When I hear Auto-Tune on somebody’s voice, I don’t take them seriously,” Case said.

Some of our local musicians are guilty of using AutoTune to excess. I am not going to call any names, but I will say I have heard both studio recordings and live performances from these artists, and I can safely attest that these people have beautiful voices that do not require “tweaking” with Auto-Tune. Maybe the vocal tracks will take longer to produce; maybe the singers will need to drink some hot tea and do some warm-up exercises before laying down the track—but it will be well worth it.

Technology is amazing. Where once the only way to record your original music was to spend thousands of dollars hiring professionals who only use the most expensive gear, now musicians can use inexpensive or free demos of software to record their songs in the comfort of their one-bedroom apartments. Auto-Tune is just another in a long line of nifty effects that definitely has its place in modern music recording. Like alcohol and bacon, it is fine to use in moderation, but I would like to see more emphasis on the natural talents that singers possess.

And yes, even the tiny little voices of children deserve to be heard in their natural, imperfect state.

Band and others will provide the tunes for the street party entertainment at Hal & Mal’s. Underground 119 hosts The Fearless Four in its parking lot after the parade. Fenian’s will have non-stop bands inside and out on Saturday from 1-10 p.m. and 2-5 p.m. on Sunday. Check the music calendar for the complete line-up.

Ole Tavern will kick off its Saturday St. Paddy’s Party at 5 p.m., going all night with Dixie Nationals, Red Hill City, Furrows and The Peoples. The members of Galactic and the Charlie Hunter Trio’s side project Good Enough for Good Times will bring the jams to Martin’s Saturday night, 10 p.m. Listen at www.myspace.com/ goodenoughforgoodtimes.

After you get a little rest and recuperation after the long Irish weekend, indie-rock fans will want to take a road trip to Oxford next Tuesday, March 23 for The Soft Pack at Proud Larry’s.

Stick around Wednesday, March 24 for the Vivian Girls at the Red Star Bar and Japandroids with A Sunny Day in Glasgow at Proud Larry’s the same night.

Be sure to check out the triple-bill of DIY garage rock next Thursday, March 25,

COURTESY DIGITAL LEATHER

I

t’s spring break in Jackson, and that means the Sweet Potato Queens are here, ready to show off their greenery for Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade on Saturday. After the dreary winter we’ve had, everyone’s ready for a little spring green—even if you’re not Irish.

There will be celebrations and libations at Hal & Mal’s, Fenian’s and other downtown venues every night this week.

Watch for daily updates on the JFP Web site. The kickoff party is Thursday night at Hal & Mal’s with the St. Paddy’s Céilí (traditional Irish Dance) featuring the Jackson Céilí Band and Irish Dancers.

If you’re a fan of Rock 93.9 radio, don’t miss the big show this Thursday at Fire with Saving Able, Lynam, Taddy Porter and Creep Left, 9 p.m; $18. Saving Abel’s new album is scheduled to drop in June, so the show will give you a sneak peak at the new material. Rock 93.9 will be on hand to give away schwag and support the show.

The Auditorium is featuring bluesman

The problem with Auto-Tune is that it has become something that is abused, used as a safety net when perhaps the vocalist needs a little more practice. Listen to Aretha, Ella or even early Madonna. Those ladies did not have the luxury of Auto-Tune, and they did not necessarily hit every note in perfect pitch, but who would dare say that they weren’t or aren’t stellar vocalists? In fact, Madonna is not really that stellar of a vocalist, but she still sold millions of albums. Real talent does not need much in the way of technology. But even Madonna gave in to the temptation of Auto-Tune on her 2000 album, “Music”— a sign of things to come.

This age of “American Idol,” where even runners-up get record deals, gives the impression that one does not have to work that hard to make it. “Idol” contestants and winners don’t write their own songs or play their own instruments most of the time. Auto-Tune takes them to the next step of practically not having to sing their own songs, either. Many artists seem content to phone it in when it comes time to record vocals, because they know that the audio engineer can fix anything with Auto-Tune.

The popular TV series “Glee” has used Auto-Tune to noticeable excess. Never mind that lead actress Lea Michele has performed on Broadway since she was 8—her voice is Auto-Tuned along with the rest of the cast. One episode featured the kids spontaneously singing Nelly’s “Ride Wit Me,” sans Auto-Tune, and it fantastically removed all doubt that these kids are truly talented. Auto-Tune makes it difficult to sort out who has the talent and who doesn’t.

The recent re-make of “We Are the World” brought together an interesting array of today’s “top artists,” and started right out of the gate with the Auto-Tuned vocal stylings of Justin Bieber, whoever he is. Later, the effect is used on nearly

After their SXSW stint, Fat Possum synth-punkers Digital Leather headline a triple bill of garage rock March 25 in Hal & Mal’s Red Room.

in Hal & Mal’s Red Room with Digital Leather, local favorites ¡Los Buddies! and Bare Wires. Hot off a stint at SXSW in Austin, the high-energy synth-punk of Fat Possum recording artists Digital Leather is the perfect mix of Jay Reatard/Goner Records and Ramones with some Devo synth thrown in. They’ve got hooks like Pavement/Stephen Malkmus for any fans of Goner Records, Lemonheads or Guided By Voices. Check them out at myspace.com/digitalleather.

—Herman Snell

2010 Best Salon Best Hair Stylist THANK YOU FOR THE VOTES!

Spring Inventory: MIS TEE V-OUS, Rosalina, Snips n’ Snails, Double Daisies, Itzy Bitzy, Vistra’s, The Everyday Baby and more...

BANDS/DJS FOR HIRE Disc Jockey (DJ) Service Professional DJ - 20 Years Experience - Holiday Parties/Weddings/Birthdays/Private Parties, Lights/Fog/Etc available, Photography Services Available, Live Band Availble (601) 850-4380

GEAR Bach stradivarius trombone Bach Stradivarius professional trombone w/ F -rotary valve, Excellent condition. Dynamic tonal quality. $1,600.00 Call:- 769 232 2415 Bass gear Quality professional gear. Swr Silverado combo.

350 watts RMS. $400. New aoustic 200 watt bass head $200. Two Swr 1 15’ and horn cabinets $250 ea. Loud and Clean Sold seperately or together.

(601) 214-4412 Professional Sound Engineers Need sound equipment or just a couple of engineers at your next event call Daniel 601.488.0436 any venue large or small anywhere in the south.

Complete PA Huge carvin pa for sale, all accessories, cables, processors, mics, stands, lights, amps, etc. Over $20,000 in gear to sell for best offers. Equipment is in as new condition. (225) 341-9391 Guitar Gear - Must Sell!!

Vox AD120VTH Valvetronix Stereo Head $400, 1x12 and 2x12 cabinets- $80-$125. (601) 540-1739 Need extra sound?

Need sound or just an engineer at your next event call Daniel 601.488.0436 or Mike 601.291.9713.

1 - 1604vlz 1 - pmp-5000 - powered mixer 10 - b1520 pro - speaker cabinets 6 - b1800x pro - sub cabinets 4 - f1520 pro - monitor cabinets 5 - ep1500 - power amps 2 - ep2500 - power amps 1 - 266xl - compressor limiter 2 - s - 3-way crossover 2 - ew165g2 e865 - wireless mics 6 - pr99 - mics.

Lighting also available: 6 - Scanners 12 - Par Cans 1- Lazer

MISCELLANEOUS Grand Piano Needed Children’s Charity Organization needs small grand piano for its teaching space. Tax deductable! Call Royce, 601-594-2902 (601) 594-2902 Need A Few Good Musicians Interested in helping to set up music non-profit organization (centered around the blues) for disadvantaged youths in the jackson metropolitan area?

If so, i am looking to talk to you. Need musicians who can teach everything from banjo, guitar, dobro, mandolin, fiddle, accordion, harmonica, piano, etc., Etc. Come be a part of this great project! (601) 924-0210.

MUSICIANS AVAILABLE Rock Singer Available Male Rock/Metal Singer looking for experienced cover band. Many years experience. Contact myspace or facebook: Crystal Quazar. Phone: 601-572-6253 Drummer Available Mature/seasoned drummer available. Have played everything from country to Christian Contemporary.

Would like to join existing band or form new one with seasoned musicians ONLY...no beginners please! Would like to play classic rock, blues and/ or contemporary. Call if interested. (601) 613-5835 Looking to Start Band I am a bass player new in town and am looking to start a band in the Jackson area. I need a guitarist, drummer and lead vocals. No specific genre is preferred, but the band will be based on rock and metal (no death or black metal). I’ve played in several bands and played out hundreds of times and am able to get gigs. If interested or for more info please call Chris @ 386-365-2944 Female Vocalist Seeking Band I am a 16-year-old female vocalist seeking a synthpop or rock band. Ages of band members preferrably 25 years or younger due to parental objections. Contact by email at freezepopforever10 29@hotmail.com.

Old Drummer Available!

Drummer available: most recently, i have played with the veterans of foreign bars band. Interested in playing blues, funk, soul, maybe country. I am an older guy and settled in for the duration.

I would be interested in a steady band, fill-in, and, possibly, a new start-up. Let me hear: mcdrum89@yahoo.Com or call 601-832-0831 Musician Available 25 Years experience playing Drums, Guitar & Bass.

Recently relocated to Jackson from Memphis, TN. All genres of music. Contact Tim at 601-665-5976.

Or email: reeves@cgdsl.net Serious inquires only.

Drummer Looking For Band I’m an experienced drummer looking to form/join a band. I have mostly played metal, but I am open to rock/hard rock/metal, etc. Call Dave at (769) 226-0845.

1935 Lakeland Dr. 601.906.2253

PEPPY & POSH’S STORE HOURS: Monday - Wednesday and Friday 10am - 6pm Saturdays 10am - 2pm (Closed on Thursday and Sunday)

305 Clinton Blvd. Clinton, MS • 601.924.2728

LAUGHTER IS A GIFT FROM GOD

Come be a part of a Community of Joy!

Services: 10:30 am and

6:00 pm 650 E South St. Jackson, MS 39201

(601)944-0415

MUSICIANS WANTED Deathcore guitarists Metal band looking for 2 exp’d guitarists. Influences include WhiteChapel, Carnifex, Opeth, etc.

Call David for more info (601) 201-3815 Metal Singer & Bassist Wanted AnnX is looking for a Experienced Energetic METAL Vocalist and a Bass Player to play shows and write new material. (601) 383-4851 Become our Next Instructor Major Scales Studio is accepting applications for a classical or rock or jazz guitar teacher. Must have professional appearance. Please email your resume to Majorscales@aol.com.

Cellist Needed For Album/tour Cellist needed for my album and possibly to tour shortly after. I am signed with South City Records. I need to start recording ASAP! Must be reliable and dedicated. Please contact me at scorpiano31@gmail.com Drummer/Bassist needed - Metal We are in need of a drummer and a bassist. Experience in metal (death, black, etc.) is preffered, but not completely necessary. Call Buddy at (601)5025647. Thanks for reading. -Buddy

Looking for band mates? Wanting to sell your gear?

Advertise here for free! Visit JFP Classifieds.com.

If you are interested in sponsoring the Musicians Exchange call JFP Sales at 601-362-6121 ext. 11.

jacksonfreepress.com

BANDS WANTED vocalist looking for band im a rock vocalist looking for a band in need of a lead singer please call at any time my name is shane (601) 940-0510

37

DIRECT T.V. MEGA MARCH MADNE SS PKG.

livemusic

NIT TOURNEY & NCAA TOURNEY

$10 Buckets during tournaments

MARCH 18, THURSDAY

Smoke-free lunch

Fire - Saving Able, Lynam, Taddy Porter, Creep Left (rock) 9 p.m. $18+ myspace.com/savingabel ; myspace.com/taddyportermusic Hal & Mal’s Big Room - St. Paddy’s Ceili w/Jackson Ceili Band & Irish Dancers Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - DJ Jimbo Harwell/Marching Malfunction Party Lumpkins BBQ - Jesse Robinson (blues lunch) 11:30-1:30 p.m. free Fenian’s - Beth Patterson (Irish Folk/Comedy) 8:30-11:30 p.m.

Underground 119 - Howard Jones Jazz Group 8-11 p.m. free The Auditorium - Welch/McCann 7:309 p.m.; Eddie Cotton 9:18 p.m. $20 F. Jones Corner - Jason Bailey (blues lunch) free; Blues at Sunset Challenge Band 8-12 a.m. free 930 Blues Cafe - Jackie Bell, Norman Clark & Smoke Stack Lightning 8 p.m. $5 Footloose - Karaoke 8-12 a.m.

121 Studios, 121 Millsaps Ave - Party Dots, Priority Males, Coffins, Robot Sweatshop 9 p.m. $5 Shucker’s - Will & Linda 7:30-11:30 p.m. free Fitzgerald’s, Hilton - Emma Wynters 2 p.m.; Big Juv Brawley (blues/ solo/Sweet Potato Queen CheckIn Party) 4 p.m.; Scott Albert Johnson (roots/juke) 7 p.m.

Huntington’s Grille - Cucho & Los Papis (salsa) 6-9:30 p.m.

Regency Hotel - Karaoke 7 p.m. free Soulshine, Township - Fingers Taylor & friends 7-9:30 p.m. free AJ’s Seafood - Shane & Frazier 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Cherokee Inn - D’lo Trio 6:30 p.m.

Poets II - Karaoke 10 p.m.

Pop’s - Willie Waggs Castaways - Karaoke 6-10 p.m.

Electric Cowboy - DJ Cadillac 9 p.m.

McB’s - Karaoke 7 p.m. free Two Rivers - Larry Brewer 7-10 p.m.

Union Street Books, Canton - Open Mic 7-9 p.m. 601-859-8596 Eli’s Treehouse, V’burg - Karaoke 8 p.m.

weekdays 11am-3pm

WED.

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR ALL SHOWS 10PM UNLESS NOTED WEDNESDAY

3/17

LADIES DRINK ALL YOU CAN 8PM-12AM FOR $5 - NO COVER 3/18

80’S NIGHT DIFFERENT THEME EACH WEEK FRIDAY

3/19

ST. PADDYS PARADE PRE-PARTY

DIRTFOOT SATURDAY

THURS. $1.50 BEER (BUD, BUD LIGHT, BUD SELECT & ULTRA)

FRI.

LADIES NIGHT THURSDAY

LADIES NIGHT & KARAOKE

Select Irish Shots to be given out on St. Paddy’s Day!

CHAD WESLEY 9:30PM - 1:30AM NO COVER CHARGE

COLLEGE NIGHT BRING STUDENT ID

SAT.

NCAA

BASKETBALL

MON. S.I.N. NIGHT TUES. JACKPOT TRIVIA $2 DOMESTICS

ON SUNDAY, BLOODY MARYS $4 & MIMOSAS $3 THURSDAY 2-FOR-1 MONDAYS, $1.50 PINTS ON

3/20

ST. PADDY’S PARADE BLOWOUT WITH

ROCK 93.9 and FIRE present:

GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOOD TIMES SUNDAY

MAR 18 - SAVING ABEL APR 22 - SICK PUPPIES MAY 4 - SMILE EMPTY SOUL

3/21

KARAOKE TOPTEN SONGS THIS WEEK MONDAY

3/22

OPEN MIC JAM TUESDAY

3/23

MATT’S LATE NIGHT KARAOKE $2 MARGARITAS $1 HIGHLIFE & PBR

March 18 - 24, 2010

WEDNESDAY

38

3/24

LADIES NIGHT LADIES DRINK ALL YOU CAN 8PM-12AM FOR $5 - NO COVER 214 S. STATE ST. • 601.354.9712 DOWNTOWN JACKSON WWW.MARTINSLOUNGE.NET

1 BREAKING BENJAMIN – Give Me A Sign (Forever and Ever) 2 JANUS - Eyesore 3 MUDVAYNE - Scream With Me 4 CHEVELLE - Letter From A Thief 5 SLIPKNOT - Snuff 6 ALICE IN CHAINS - Your Decision 7 CAVO - Crash 8 THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH- Fire It Up 9 DROWNING POOL - Feel Like I Do 10 HALESTORM - It’s Not You

MARCH 19, FRIDAY Hal & Mal’s - Parade Warm-Up Party: Kickass Krewe of Joosy Jones Dance Party/Passenger Jones 9 p.m. $5 Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Kelly & Colbert 8 p.m. free Fire - The Molly Ringwalds (‘80s tribute) 9 p.m. $12+ myspace.com/themollyringwalds Martin’s - Tooz Co. 6-9:30 p.m.; Dirtfoot 10 p.m. www.dirtfoot.com Underground 119 - Scott Albert Johnson (roots/juke) 8-12 a.m.

F. Jones Corner - Big Juv Brawley noon; Sons of the Subway 11:30-4 a.m. $5 Ole Tavern - Come On Go With Us, Schooner (rock) 10 p.m. myspace.com/comeongowithus ; schoonermusic.com Fenian’s - The Peoples 9-12 a.m.

Crawdad Hole - Crawdad Hole Band (classic rock) 7 p.m. free Soulshine, Township - Taylor Hildebrand 8 p.m. free

The Auditorium - Shane & Frazier 7:30-9 p.m.; Eddie Cotton (blues) 9:18 p.m. $20 Soulshine, Old Fannin - Welch/ McCann 6:30 p.m. free Shucker’s - Snazz 8-1 a.m. $5 Haute Pig - Larry Brewer 6-9 p.m.

930 Blues Cafe - Blues/Jazz 5:30-8 p.m.; Jackie Bell, Dr. D 9 p.m. $10 McB’s - Johnny Crocker Electric Cowboy - DJ Terry 9 p.m.

Touch Ultra Lounge - DJ Libra+ (electronica) 9-2 a.m. $5 Pop’s - Willie Waggs Regency Hotel - Back 40 - 9 p.m. $5 Footloose - Karaoke 9-1 a.m. free Dick & Jane’s - Show Night/DJ Allen 9 p.m. $6; 18+ $10 Cultural Expressions - Reggae/HipHop/Old School Night 10 p.m. $5 Reed Pierce’s - Monkey Bone 9 p.m. free

MARCH 20, SATURDAY Hal & Mal’s/Downtown Jxn - Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade 1 p.m. Street After Party: Bluz Boys, Pinstripe Brass Band+ $5 Fenian’s - St. Paddy’s Block Party: Soundwagon 1-4 p.m. inside; Captain Mackey’s Goatskin & String Band (Ireland) 2-5 p.m. outside; Cary Hudson (roots) 8-11 p.m. inside; St. Adonis 6-10 p.m. outside Underground 119 - The Fearless Four (parking lot/post-parade) 2-6 p.m.

Martin’s - Good Enough For Good Times (Members of Galactic & Charlie Humter Trio) 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/ goodenoughforgoodtimes Fire - St. Paddy’s Crawfish Boil: Crossin Dixon, Grunge Factory, The Rock Shop (post parade) $20, 18+ $25 Ole Tavern - St. Paddy’s Party: Dixie Nationals, Red Hill City, Furrows, The Peoples, DJ 5 p.m.

The Auditorium - Larry Brewer 7:30-9 p.m.; Eddie Cotton 9:18 p.m. $20 F. Jones Corner - Sherman Lee Dillon’s Miss. Sound w/Jackie Bell 11:30-4 a.m. $5 Taste Ultra Lounge - DJ Clover, DJ Titty Nipple, Leviathon, Unkl Ryan, Trainrec 2-7 p.m. free; DJ 2 Tall, DJ Reign 7 p.m. $5, 18+ $10 Sam’s Lounge - D-Lerium, DJ Libra, DJ 360, Krysys, DJ Larry Love 9 p.m. $15 Time Out - Diesel 255 - 9:30-1 a.m.

Shucker’s - Mike & Marty 3-7 p.m. free; Snazz 8-1 a.m. $5 930 Blues Cafe - Blues/Jazz 5:30-8 p.m.; Jackie Bell, Dr. D 9 p.m. $10 Cultural Expressions - Kamikaze & Yardboy (hip-hop/Soul) 9 p.m. $5 Electric Cowboy - DJ Terry 9 p.m.

Dick & Jane’s - House Party/DJ Allen 9 p.m. $6; 18+ $10 McB’s - Right Over Left Regency Hotel - Back 40 - 9 p.m. $5 Club Clarion - DJ Koinonia Coffee - Gospoetry 8-12 p.m. $5 Que Sera - DoubleShotz 1 p.m. free Petra Cafe, Clinton - Karaoke 8 p.m.

Reed Pierce’s - Monkey Bone 9 p.m. free

R.J. Barrel, Canton - Karaoke Ground Zero, Clarksdale - Terry “Big T” Williams CD Release Party 9 p.m.

MARCH 21, SUNDAY King Edward Hotel - Howard Jones Trio (jazz brunch) 11-2 p.m.

Shucker’s - Two Can Do 3-7 p.m. free The Hill - Open Blues Jam 6-11 p.m.

Footloose - Karaoke 7-11 p.m. free Fenian’s - St. Paddy’s Block Party: Rob Millette 12 p.m.; Legacy 12:30 p.m.; Jim Flanagan 1:30 p.m. outside; Spirits of the House 1 p.m. inside; Ceili (Irish Dance) 2-5 p.m. inside; Captain Mackey’s Goatskin & String Band 2 & 4 p.m. (Ireland) outside; Spirits of the House 3 p.m. outside; Jim Flanagan 4:30 p.m. inside; St. Brigid’s 5 p.m. outside; Legacy 6 p.m. inside Warehouse - Mike & Marty Open Jam Session 6-10 p.m. free Fitzgerald’s - Andy Hardwick 11-2 p.m.

Sophia’s, Fairview Inn - Knight Bruce 11 a.m. (brunch) Cultural Expressions - Open Mic Poetry 8 p.m. $5

MARCH 22, MONDAY Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Central Miss. Blues Society Jam 8-11 p.m. $5 F. Jones Corner - Jason Bailey free Fitzgerald’s - Hunter Gibson & Rick Moreira 8-12 a.m. free Martin’s - Open Mic 10 p.m. free Fenian’s - Karaoke 8-1 a.m.

Dreamz - Marley Mondays/DJ 6 p.m.

MARCH 23, TUESDAY F. Jones Corner - Amazing Lazy Boi free Sneaky Beans - Dubb Nubb, Drew Kennedy, Casper & the Cookies 6 p.m. casperandthecookies.com Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Pub Quiz 8 p.m.

Fenian’s - Open Mic 9 p.m.

Martin’s - Karaoke Shucker’s - The Extremez 7:30-11: 30 p.m. free Ole Tavern - VideoHippos, Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez & Adventure 10 p.m.

Time Out - Open Mic 8 p.m.

McB’s - Karaoke 7 p.m. free Final Destination - Open Mic Proud Larry’s, Oxford - The Soft Pack, Beaters

MARCH 24, WEDNESDAY F. Jones Corner - Jesse “Guitar” Smith (blues lunch) free Underground 119 - Virgil Brawley & Steve Chester 8-11 p.m. free Fenian’s - Shaun Patterson 9-12 a.m.

Shucker’s - Larry Brewer & Hunter Gibson 7:30-11 p.m. free The Auditorium - Karaoke 9-12 a.m.

Bonnie Blairs Irish Pub - Shaun Patterson 7-10 p.m.

Fitzgerald’s, Hilton - Sofa Kings 8 p.m. free sofakingsjxn.com Regency Hotel - Snazz 8:30 p.m. myspace.com/snazzband2 Footloose - Karaoke 8-12 a.m. free Electric Cowboy - Karaoke Proud Larry’s, Oxford - Japandroids / Sunny Day in Glasgow Two Stick, Oxford - Vivian Girls, Wetdog, Happy Birthday (indierock) myspace.com/viviangirlsnyc

3/18 Spoon/Deerhunter - Republic, New Orleans; 3/19 WorkPlay, Birmingham 3/19 AFI - House of Blues, New Orleans 3/19 John Mayer / Michael Franti - FedEx Forum, Memphis 3/23 The XX - Bottletree, Birmingham 3/23 The Soft Pack - Proud Larry’s, Oxford 3/24 Vivian Girls, Wetdog - Two Stick, Oxford

venuelist Fusion Coffeehouse Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-856-6001 Garfield’s Restaurant & Pub 6340 Ridgewood Court, Jackson, 601-977-9920 Gold Strike Casino 1010 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, 888-245-7529 Grand Casino Biloxi 280 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, 228-436-2946 Grand Casino Tunica 13615 Old Highway 61 North, Robinsonville, 800-39-GRAND The Green Room 444 Bounds St., Jackson, 601-713-3444 Ground Zero Blues Club 0 Blues Alley, Clarksdale, 662-621-9009 Grownfolks’s Lounge 4030 Medgar Evers Blvd, Jackson, 601-362-6008 Hal & Mal’s 200 S. Commerce St., Jackson, 601-948-0888 (pop/rock/blues) Hamp’s Place 3028 W. Northside Dr., Jackson, 601-981-4110 (dance/dj) Hard Rock Biloxi 777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-ROCK Hat & Cane 1115 E. McDowell Rd., Jackson, 601-352-0411 Hauté Pig 1856 Main St., Madison, 601853-8538 Here We Go Again 3002 Terry Road, Jackson, 601-373-1520 The Hill Restaurant 2555 Valley St., Jackson, 601-373-7768 Horizon Casino Mulberry Lounge 1310 Mulberry St., Vicksburg, 800-843-2343 Horseshoe Bar 5049 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-6191 Horseshoe Casino Tunica, 800-303-7463 The Hunt Club 1525 Ellis Ave., Jackson, 601-944-1150 Huntington Grille 1001 E. County Line Rd., Jackson, 601-957-1515 The Ice House 515 S. Railroad Blvd., McComb, 601-684-0285 (pop/rock) JC’s 425 North Mart Plaza, Jackson, 601-362-3108 James Meredith Lounge 217 Griffith St. 601-969-3222 Julep Restaurant and Bar 105 Highland Village, Jackson, 601-362-1411 Kathryn’s Steaks and Seafood 6800 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland. 601-956-2803 Koinonia Coffee House 136 S. Adam St., Suite C, Jackson, 601-960-3008 LaRae’s 210 Parcel Dr., Jackson, 601-944-0660 Last Call Sports Grill 1428 Old Square Road, Jackson, 601-713-2700 The Library Bar & Grill 120 S. 11th St., Oxford, 662-234-1411 The Loft 1306 A. Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-629-6188 The Lyric Oxford 1006 Van Buren Ave., Oxford. 662-234-5333 Main Event Sports Bar & Grill 4659 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-9987 Manda’s Pub 614 Clay Street, Vicksburg, 601-638-6607 Martin’s Lounge 214 S. State St., Jackson, 601-354-9712 (rock/jam/blues) McB’s Restaurant 815 Lake Harbor Dr., Ridgeland, 601-956-8362 (pop/rock) Mellow Mushroom 275 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-7499 Mississippi Academy of Ancient Music 103 Magnolia, Edwards, 601-977-7736 Mississippi Coliseum 1207 Mississippi St., Jackson, 601-353-0603 Mississippi Opera P.O. Box 1551, Jackson, 877-MSOPERA, 601-960-2300 Mississippi Opry 2420 Old Brandon Rd., Brandon, 601-331-6672 Mississippi Symphony Orchestra 201 East Pascagoula St., Jackson, 800-898-5050 Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 2531 N. State St., Jackson, 601-354-6021 Monte’s Steak and Seafood 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-362-8182 Mugshots 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-713-0383 North Jackson Pockets 109 Culley Dr., Jackson, 601- 362-4939 Okasions 1766 Ellis Avenue, Jackson, 601-373-4037 Old Venice Pizza Co. 1428 Old Square Rd., Jackson, 601-366-6872 Ole Tavern on George Street 416 George St., Jackson, 601-960-2700 Olga’s 4760 I-55 North, Jackson, 601-366-1366 (piano)

One to One Studio 121 Millsaps Ave., in the Millsaps Arts District, Jackson One Blue Wall 2906 N State St., Jackson, 601-713-1224 Peaches Restaurant 327 N. Farish St., Jackson, 601-354-9267 Pelican Cove 3999A Harborwalk Dr., Ridgeland, 601-605-1865 Pig Ear Saloon 160 Weisenberger Rd., Gluckstadt, 601-898-8090 Pig Willies 1416 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-634-6872 Pool Hall 3716 I-55 North Frontage Rd., Jackson, 601-713-2708 Pop’s Saloon 2636 Gallatin St., Jackson, 601-961-4747 (country) Proud Larry’s 211 S. Lamar Blvd., Oxford, 662-236-0050 The Pub Hwy. 51, Ridgeland, 601-898-2225 The Quarter Bistro & Piano Bar 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-362-4900 Que Sera Sera 2801 N. State St., Jackson, 601-981-2520 Red Room 200 S. Commerce St., Jackson (Hal & Mal’s), 601-948-0888 (rock/alt.)

Reed Pierce’s 6791 Siwell Rd., Byram, 601-376-0777, 601-376-4677 Regency Hotel Restaurant & Bar 420 Greymont Ave., Jackson, 601-969-2141 Rick’s Cafe 318 Hwy 82 East, #B, Starkville, 662-324-7425 RJ Barrel 111 N. Union 601-667-3518 Sal and Mookie’s 565 Taylor St. 601368-1919 Sam’s Lounge 5035 I-55 N. Frontage Rd., Jackson, 601-983-2526 Sam’s Town Casino 1477 Casino Strip Blvd., Robinsonville, 800-456-0711 Schimmel’s Fine Dining 2615 N. State St., Jackson, 601-981-7077 Scrooge’s 5829 Ridgewood Rd., Jackson, 601-206-1211 Shuckers on the Reservoir 116 Conestoga Rd., Ridgeland, 601-853-0105 Silver Star Casino Hwy. 16 West, Choctaw, 800-557-0711 Soop’s The Ultimate 1205 Country Club Dr., Jackson, 601-922-1402 (blues) Soulshine Pizza 1139 Old Fannin Rd., Brandon, 601-919-2000 Soulshine Pizza 1111 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-856-8646 Sportsman’s Lodge 1220 E. Northside Dr. at I-55, Jackson, 601-366-5441 Steam Room Grille 5402 Interstate-55 Frontage Road. 601-899-8588 Stone Pony Oyster Bar 116 Commercial Parkway, Canton, 601-859-0801 Super Chikan’s Place 235 Yazoo Ave., Clarksdale, 662-627-7008 Thalia Mara Hall 255 E. Pascagoula St., Jackson, 601-960-1535 Thirsty Hippo 211 Main St., Hattiesburg, 601-583-9188 (indie/ alt.rock/jam/world) Time Out Sports Bar 6270 Old Canton Rd., 601-978-1839 Touch Night Club 105 E. Capitol St., Jackson, 601-969-1110 Two Rivers Restaurant 1537 W. Peace St., Canton, 601-859-9979 (blues) Two Sisters Kitchen 707 N. Congress St. 601-353-1180 Two Stick 1107 Jackson Ave., Oxford, 662-236-6639 Tye’s 120 N. Congress St., Jackson, 601949-3434 Under the Boardwalk 2560 Terry Rd., Jackson, 601-371-7332 (country/ classic rock) Underground 119 119 S. President St. 601352-2322 VB’s Premier Sports Bar 1060 County Line Rd., Ridgland, 601-572-3989 VFW Post 9832 4610 Sunray Drive, Jackson, 601-982-9925 Vicksburg Convention Center 1600 Mulberry Street, Vicksburg, 866-822-6338 Walker’s Drive-In 3016 N. State St., Jackson, 601-982-2633 (jazz/pop/folk) The Warehouse 9347 Hwy 18 West, Jackson, 601-502-8580 (pop/rock) Wired Expresso Cafe 115 N. State St. 601-500-7800

Express Lunch STARTING at $7.50 Entree, 2 Sides, Bread and Tea

ST. PADDY’S DAY Green Beer, Giveaways & Schwag Beads

Irish Car Bombs All Irish Whiskey & All Irish Beer

It’s Fast or It’s Free!

Lunch Mon - Fri, starting at 11am

STEVIE J March 17 $3 MARGARITAS 5402 I-55 Frontage Road Jackson MS st eamro o mgrille.co m

8

around S A Lthe O Ocorner N

Choice of 2 meat dishes, three vegetables, bread & a non alcoholic beverage. $7.99+tax (No Wait!! One pass, self serve line)

Monday-Saturday

Happy Hour 2-7pm 2for1 All Mixed Drinks / $1 Off Draft

1428 Old Square Road in Jackson 601.713.2700 lastcallsportsgrill.com

Wednesday, March 17th

Country and Rock Music

Ladies’ Night w/ Snazz

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK - 4 P.M. ‘TIL

8:30 pm - Guys’ Cover $5

HAPPY HOUR 5-7, MON -THURS

BUY 1 GET 1 WELLS

MUSTANG SALLY - MARCH 27 WEDNESDAY - MARCH 17

Thursday, March 18th

Karaoke w/ Mike Mott

Bike Night w/ Krazy Karaoke

THURSDAY - MARCH 18

$2 MARGARITAS!

SUPER NOIZE LADIES NIGHT (FREE DRAFT CUP 9-11)

7:00 pm - No Cover Fri. & Sat., March 19th & 20th

FRIDAY - MARCH 19

WILLY WAGGS SATURDAY - MARCH 20

WILLY WAGGS

BACK 40 8:30 pm - $5 cover Exquisite Dining at

The Rio Grande Restaurant

Crawfish, Green Beer & Miller Lite Schwag

SUN. & MON. - MARCH 21 & 22

2 for 1 Domestics TUESDAY - MARCH 23

Pool League Night 2636 S. Gallatin Jackson, MS 39204

601-961-4747

www.myspace.com/popsaroundthecorner

400 Greymont Ave., Jackson 601-969-2141 www.regencyjackson.com

jacksonfreepress.com

61 South - Rainbow Casino 1380 Warrenton Rd., Vicksburg, 800-503-3777 88 Keys 3645 Hwy. 80 W in Metrocenter, Jackson, 601-352-7342 930 Blues Cafe 930 N. Congress St., Jackson, 601-948-3344 Alamo Theatre 333 N. Farish St, Jackson, 601-352-3365 Alley Cats 165 W. Peace St., Canton, 601-855-2225 Alumni House Sports Grill 574 Hwy. 50, Ridgeland, 601-855-2225 America Legion Post 1 3900 W. Northside Dr., Jackson, 601-605-9903 Ameristar Casino, Bottleneck Blues Bar 4146 Washington St., Vicksburg, 800-700-7770 Beau Rivage Casino 875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 800-566-7469 Belhaven College Center for the Arts 835 Riverside Dr, Jackson, 601-968-5930 Bennie’s Boom Boom Room 142 Front St., Hattiesburg, 601-408-6040 Borrello’s 1306 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-638-0169 Buffalo Wild Wings 808 Lake Harbour Dr., Ridgeland, 601-856-0789 Capri-Pix Theatre 3021 N. State St., Jackson, 601-981-9606 Central City Complex 609 Woodrow Wilson Dr., Jackson, 601-352-9075 Cerami’s 5417 Highway 25, Flowood, 601-919-2829 Char Restaurant 4500 I-55, Highland Village, Jackson, 601-956-9562 Cherokee Inn 1410 Old Square Rd., Jackson, 601-362-6388 Club 43 Hwy 43, Canton, 601-654-3419, 601-859-0512 Club City Lights 200 N. Mill St., Jackson, 601-353-0059 Club O’Hara 364 Monticello St., Hazlehurst, 601-894-5674 Club Total 342 N. Gallatin St., Jackson, 601-714-5992 The Commons Gallery 719 N. Congress St., 601-352-3399 Couples Entertainment Center 4511 Byrd Drive, Jackson, 601-923-9977 Crawdad Hole 1150 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-982-9299 Crickett’s Lounge 4370 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-0500 Crossroads Bar & Lounge 3040 Livingston Rd., Jackson, 601-984-3755 (blues) Cultural Expressions 147 Millsaps Ave., Jackson, 601-665-0815 (neosoul/hip-hop) Cups in Fondren 2757 Old Canton Road, Jackson, 601-362-7422 (acoustic/pop) Cups in the Quarter 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-981-9088 Davidson’s Corner Market 108 W. Center St., Canton, 601-855-2268 (pop/rock) Debo’s 180 Raymond Road, Jackson, 601-346-8283 Diamond Jack’s Casino 3990 Washington Street, Vicksburg, 1-877-711-0677 Dick & Jane’s 206 Capitol St., Jackson, 601-944-0123 (dance/alternative) Dixie Diamond 1306 Washington Street, Vicksburg, 601-638-6297 Dollar Bills Dance Saloon 103 A Street, Meridian, 601-693-5300 Edison Walthall Hotel 225 E. Capitol St., Jackson, 601-948-6161 Electric Cowboy 6107 Ridgewood Rd., Jackson, 601-899-5333 (country/ rock/dance) Executive Place 2440 Bailey Ave., Jackson, 601-987-4014 F. Jones Corner 303 N. Farish St. 601983-1148 Fenian’s 901 E. Fortification Street, Jackson, 601-948-0055 (rock/Irish/folk) Fire 209 Commerce St., Jackson, 601592-1000 (rock/dance/dj) Final Destination 5428 Robinson Rd. Ext., Jackson, (pop/rock/blues) Fitzgerald’s Martini Bar 1001 E. County Line Road, Jackson, 601-957-2800 Flood’s Bar and Grill 2460 Bailey Ave., Jackson, 601-713-4094 Footloose Bar and Grill 4661 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-9944 Freelon’s Bar And Groove 440 N. Mill St., Jackson, 601-353-5357 (hip-hop)

39

BEFORE:

Kristen H., 33 years old from Mississippi Body Transformation: 103 lbs & over 70 in.

AFTER:

Body Benefits changed my life in so many different ways. I have lost a total of 103 pounds and now wear a size 2/4! My waist is now smaller than what my thigh used to measure!

I have completely changed my life in each and every aspect by combining a healthy, nutritiously balanced diet with regular daily exercise.

I don’t know what my life would be like now if I had not found Body Benefits classes and Barbara Nobles, my Personal Trainer!

601-991-9904

731 Pear Orchard Road • Ridgeland Odyssey North Shopping Center • Suite 30      www.body-benefits.com

Doctor S sez: I know state college basketball teams are playing still in postseason tournaments, but it’s now baseball season in Mississippi.

THURSDAY, MARCH 18 Men’s college basketball: CIT, Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech (7 p.m., Ruston, La., 1180 AM/103.3 FM): You knew that if they kept creating postseason tournaments, the Golden Eagles would finally get into one of them. …

NCAA Tournament, matchups TBA (11 a.m., Ch. 12): You might as well take off of work on the first two days of the Big Dance. No work will be done, anyway.

FRIDAY, MARCH 19 College baseball, Ole Miss at Kentucky (5:30 p.m., Lexington, Ky., 97.3 FM): Tonight, UK fans might make time for baseball. Nobody will be watching Saturday when the Wildcats play in the NCAA basketball tournament.

SATURDAY, MARCH 20 College baseball, Mississippi State at Florida (6 p.m., Gainesville, Fla., CSS, 105.9 FM): The Bulldogs have had a rough time in pre-conference play.

Things won’t get any easier against SEC rivals like Florida.

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Suspicions Confirmed Police arrested Edward Rodriguez for drug possession after he aroused suspicion by hiding in a ditch behind a vacant home in Mesa, Ariz. A neighbor reported the man to police, who approached the man and noticed he was shirtless and wearing women’s pants with a hole in the crotch exposing his genitals.

The man was also wearing his underwear around his neck. (The Arizona Republic) Police in Carroll Township, Pa., suspected John Russel Saum Jr., 42, might be driving under the influence after they observed him driving on a highway without a wheel on the front of his car. Sparks could be seen flying from the vehicle’s disk brakes.

Saum’s blood-alcohol concentration was found to be twice Pennsylvania’s legal limit.

(Carlisle’s The Sentinel) Homeland Insecurity Some South Carolina lawmakers urged repeal of a state law requiring any group that plans to overthrow any government—federal, state or local—to pay a $5 fee to register with the state or face up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Until February, when Sen. Larry Martin said the 1951 statute is one more thing making South Carolina look bad, no one had registered in all the Subversive Activities Registration Act’s 59 years. Secretary of State Mark Hammond said that since February, there have been at least 10 filings. Two actually paid the fee. (Associated Press)

SUNDAY, MARCH 21 College baseball, Ole Miss at Kentucky (noon, Lexington, Ky., 97.3 FM): The Rebels and Wildcats wrap up their weekend series in the Bluegrass State.

MONDAY, MARCH 22 Men’s college basketball, NIT, teams TBD, 6 p.m., ESPN: Will a Mississippi team be playing in the second round tonight?

TUESDAY, MARCH 23 College baseball, Southern Miss vs.

Ole Miss (6:30 p.m., Pearl, 97.3 FM): The new-look Golden Eagles face the Rebels in the friendly confines of the TP. Start hating now and avoid the rush.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24 College baseball, Memphis at Mississippi State (6:30 p.m., Starkville, 105.9 FM): The Bulldogs play host to the River City Tigers at Dudy Noble.

The Slate is compiled by Doctor S, who’s on spring break—which will last just long enough for him to finish this 40. Quench your thirst of sports knowledge at JFP Sports at www.jacksonfreepress.com.

Spelling Counts Chile’s mint fired director Gregorio Iniguez after he put thousands of coins into circulation that misspelled the country’s name.

The 50-peso coins, worth about 10 U.S. cents each, were issued in 2008 with the country’s name spelled “Chiie.” No one noticed the mistake until late last year. (Reuters) When Guns Are Outlawed Police in Allentown, Pa., said Aaron Ingram, 68, tried to rob his 51-year-old roommate by pretending a beer bottle was a gun.

Assistant Chief Joe Hanna said that when the ruse didn’t work, Ingram hit the roommate with the bottle and made off with the victim’s wallet, money and other personal items. (The Morning Call) Not-So-Merry Pranksters A 21-year-old man told Milwaukee police that he thought it would be funny to play a practical joke on his 37-year-old mother by wearing a ski mask, confronting her behind their home when she returned from shopping and pretending to rob her. The mother pulled out a .357-caliber revolver, however, and opened fire, wounding her son in the groin.

Police Sgt. Mark Stanmeyer said investigators are trying to determine if the man really was pretending or actually tried to rob his mother.

(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Compiled from mainstream media sources

by Roland Sweet. Authentication on demand.

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Paid advertising advertising section. section. Call Call 601-362-6121 601-362-6121 x11 x1 totolist Paid listyour yourrestaurant.r restaurant.r

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Mellow Mushroom (275 Dogwood Blvd, Flowood, 601-992-7499)

Pizzas of all kinds, munchies, calzones, grilled hoagies, salads and more make up the extensive and “eclectic” menu at Mellow Mushroom. And that’s not even to mention the award-winning beer selection. Dine in or carry out.

COFFEE HOUSES Cups Espresso Café (Multiple Locations, www.cupsespressocafe.com) Jackson’s local chain of coffeehouses offer high-end Arabica beans, a wide variety of espresso drinks, fresh brewed coffee and a selection of pastries and baked goods. Free wi-fi!

Wired Espresso Café (115 N State St 601-500-7800) This downtown coffeehouse across from the Old Capitol focuses on being a true gathering place, featuring great coffee and a selection of breakfast, lunch and pastry items. Free wi-fi.

500 FREE CUPS OF COFFEE!

from the Belhaven bakery

Call Us: 601-352-2002

Telephone:

B.B.Q., Blues, Beer, Beef & Pork Ribs

ITALIAN

Saturday & Friday Night Blues Band Coming Soon!

BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Jackson, 601-982-8111)

En

Mon. - Thurs., 11am - 8:30pm | Fri. & Sat. 11am - 9pm 904B E. Fortification St. - English Village

Broad Street (4465 Interstate 55 N. 601-362-2900) Hot breakfast, coffee espresso drinks, fresh breads and pastries, gourmet deli sandwiches, quiches, soups, pizzas, pastas and dessert. A “see and be seen” Jackson institution!

Crazy Cat Bakers (Highland Village Suite #173 601-362-7448 & Fondren Corner Bldg) Amazing sandwiches: Meatloaf Panini, Mediterranean Vegetarian, Rotisserie Chicken to gourmet pimento cheese. Outlandish desserts. Now open in Fondren Corner on North State Street.

The signature Paninis are complimented by great Italian offerings such as spaghetti and meatball, tomato basil soup, cookies and cupcakes. Dinner menu includes fresh tilapia, shrimp and risotto, seafood pasta, generous salads—and don’t forget the crab cakes. Party menu includes a “panini pie.” BYOB.

H OT P ASTA D ISHE G RILLED F ISH P ANINI S ANDWICH

Open at 7am for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade

BAKERY

Basilʼs Belhaven (904 E. Fortification, Jackson, 601-352-2002)

Serving:

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Lunch & Dinner Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 11a.m. to 8p.m.

Friday & Saturday 11a.m. to 10p.m.

932 Lynch Street in Jackson (Across from the JSU Baseball Field)

Wood-fired pizzas, vegetarian fare, plus creative pastas, beef, and seafood specials. Wonderful atmosphere and service. Bravo! walks away with tons of Best of Jackson awards every year.

Ceramiʼs (5417 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-919-28298) Southern-style Italian cuisine features their signature Shrimp Cerami (white wine sauce, capers artichokes) along with veal, tilapia, crawfish, chicken and pasta dishes. Now with liquor license!

Fratesiʼs (910 Lake Harbour, Ridgeland, 601-956-2929) “Authentic, homey, unpretentious” that’s how the regulars describe Fratesi’s, a staple in Jackson for years, offering great Italian favorites with loving care. The tiramisu is a must-have!

BAKERS

BARBEQUE Hickory Pit Barbeque (1491 Canton Mart Rd. 601-956-7079) Lumpkins BBQ (182 Raymond Rd. Jackson 866-906-0942) Specializing in smoked barbeque, Lumpkin’s offers all your favorites for on-site family dining or for catered events, including reunions, office events, annivesaries, weddings and more.

Rib Shack B.B.Q. & Seafood (932 J.R. Lynch Street, Jackson, 601-665-4952) Hickory-smoked BBQ beef or pork ribs, BBQ chicken, giant chopped BBQ beef or pork sandwiches. Fried catfish, pan trout, fried shrimp, po boys. Tues-Thurs (11-8pm) Fri-Sat (11-10pm).

BARS, PUBS & BURGERS Alumni House (574 Hwy 51 Ridgeland 601-605-9903, 110 Bass Pro, Pearl, 601-896-0253) Good bar food, big portions and burgers (with “blackened” as an option) known for their sweet buns. Televisions throughout, even small tubes at your table. Po-boys, quesadillas; good stuff!

Fenianʼs Pub (901 E. Fortification St. 601-948-0055) Classic Irish pub featuring a menu of traditional food, pub sandwiches and beers including Guinness and Harp on tap. Free live music most nights; Irish/Celtic bands on Thursdays.

Cool Alʼs (4654 McWillie, 601-713-3020) A standard in Best of Jackson, Al’s stacked, messy, decadent, creative burgers defy adjectives.

Or try pineapple chicken, smoked sausage...or the nationally recognized veggie burger.

Fitzgeralds at the Hilton (1001 East County Line Road, 601-957-2800) Bar favorites with a Gulf Coast twist like Gumbo Ya Ya, Shrimp Cocktail and Pelahatchie artisan sausage and cheese antipasto. Plus grilled oysters, tournedos of beef, chicken pontabla and of course the fried stuff—oysters, catfish, shrimp, seafood or chicken. Did we mention the bar?

DINE LOCAL, see pg. 42

“Now Dats Italian”

A metro-area tradition since 1977 Dinner Hours: Lunch Hours: Tues-Fri 11am-2pm

Tues-Thurs 5pm-9pm Fri & Sat 5pm-10pm

601-919-2829 5417 Lakeland Drive ~ Flowood, MS 39232

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2003-2010, Best of Jackson

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Downtown Jackson • (601) 353-1180 Open 11am-2pm, Sunday thru Friday

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HOURS: Monday-Friday, 11am-3pm 182 Raymond Rd. | Jackson, MS 39204 Telephone: 601-373-7707 lumpkinsbbq@comcast.net

601-352-2364 • Fax: 601-352-2365 Hours: Monday - Friday 7am - 4pm

Across from MC School of Law

Hal and Malʼs (200 S. Commerce St. 601-948-0888) Pub favorites meet Gulf Coast and Cajun specialties like red beans and rice, the Oyster Platter or each day’s blackboard special. Repeat winner of Best of Jackson’s “Best Place for Live Music.”

Last Call (3716 I-55 N. Frontage Road 601-713-2700) Burgers, sandwiches and po-boys, plus sports-bar appetizers and specialities. Try chili cheese fries, chicken nachos or the shrimp & pork eggrolls. Pay-per-view sporting events, live bands.

Martinʼs Restaurant and Lounge (214 South State Street 601-354-9712) Lunch specials, pub appetizers (jalapeno poppers, cheezsticks, fried pickles) or order from the full menu of po-boys and entrees. Full bar, massive beer selection and live music most nights.

Shuckerʼs Oyster Bar (116 Conestoga Road, Ridgeland 601-853-0105) Serious about oysters? Try ‘em on the half shell, deep-fried, charred from the oven or baked in champagne. Plus po-boys, pub favorites, burgers, mufalettas, pizza, seafood and steaks!

Sportsmanʼs Lodge (1120 E Northside Dr in Maywood Mart 601-366-5441) Voted Best Sports Bar, Sportman’s doesn’t disappoint with plenty of gut-pleasing sandwiches, and fried seafood baskets. Try the award-winning wings in Buffalo, Thai or Jerk sauces!

The Regency (400 Greymont Ave. 601-969-2141) Reasonably priced buffet Monday through Friday featuring all your favorites. Daily happy hour, live bands and regular specials.

Time Out Sports Café (6720 Old Canton Road 601-978-1839) 14 TVs, 1 projector and two big-screens. Daily $9 lunch specials, pub-style appetizers, burgers, seafood and catfish po-boys, salads, and hot entrees including fish, steak and pasta.

Ole Tavern on George Street (416 George St. 601-960-2700) Pub food with a southern flair: beer-battered onion rings, chicken & sausage gumbo, salads, sandwiches and weekly lunch specials. Plus, happy hour 4-7pm Monday through Friday.

Pelican Cove Grill (3999A Harbor Walk Drive 601-605-1865) Great rez view! Shrimp and seafood appetizers, soups, salads, burgers and sandwiches, plus po-boys, catfish baskets, and dinners from the grill including mahi-mahi and reggae ribs.

Underground 119 (119 South President St. 601-352-2322) Jumbo lump crabcakes, crab quesadillas, beef tenderloin parfaits, orange-garlic shrimp, even “lollipop” lamb chops. Add a full bar and mix in great music. Opens 4 p.m.-until, Wed-Sat.

ASIAN OEC (Ridgeland 601-853-4188 and Madison 601-853-8288) Dine in or take out Japanese-style hibachi orders, friend rice, salads or sushi. Hibachi options range from veggies to jumbo shrimp. And it ain’t Japanese in Mississippi without the crawfish roll, right?

Tokyo Express (5050 I-55N 601-957-1558 and 900 E County Line 601-899-8838) Lunch or dinner hibachi orders (chicken, shrimp, steak, scallops) and cooked sushi rolls (snow crab, philly, crawfish, dynamite, titanic) along with fried rice and appetizer.

Ding How Asian Bistro (601-956-1717, 6955 Old Canton Rd, Suite C, Ridgeland) Dishes from Thai; Chinese; Japanese and Korean. All the dishes are prepared with healthy ingredients, offering low oil, low salt, no MSG cooking. Hong Kong-style dim sum on weekends.

STIX (109 Marketplace Lane off Lakeland Dr Flowood 601-420-4058) Enjoy the quick-handed, knife-wielding chefs at the flaming teppanyaki grill; artful presentations of sushi; the pungent seasonings and spicy flavors of regional Chinese cuisines.

Nagoya (6351 I-55 North #131 @ Target Shopping Ctr. 601-977-8881) Nagoya gets high marks for its delicious-and-affordable sushi offerings, tasty lunch specials and high-flying hibachi room with satisfying flavors for the whole family.

Ichiban (153 Ridge Drive, Ste 105F 601-919-0097 & 359 Ridgeway 601-919-8879) Voted “Best Chinese” in 2010, cuisine styles at Ichiban actually range from Chinese to Japanese, including hibachi, sushi made fresh with seafood from the Coast, and a crowd-pleasing all-youcan-eat buffet. Two locations in Flowood, Grill at 153 Ridge and Buffet at 359 Ridgeway.

March 18 - 24, 2010

SOUTHERN CUISINE

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!

Best Butts In Town! since 1980

601-956-7079

1491 Canton Mart Rd. • Jackson

Julep (1305 East Northside Drive, Highland Village, 601-362-1411) Tons of Best of Jackson awards, delicious Southern fusion dishes like award-winning fried chicken, shrimp and grits, blackened tuna and butter bean hummus. Brunch, lunch, dinner and late night.

Primos Cafe (515 Lake Harbour 601-898-3400 and 2323 Lakeland 601-936-3398) A Jackson institution featuring a full breakfast (with grits and biscuits), blue plate specials, catfish, burgers, prime rib, oysters, po-boys and wraps. Save room for something from the bakery.

Sunioraʼs Sidewalk Cafe (200 South Lamar Street 601-355-1955) Homecooking, soul food, buffet and pizza for lunch in downtown Jackson. Soup and salad bar every day, plus daily lunch specials. “Mama’s in the kitchen!” Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm.

Sugarʼs Place (168 W Griffith St 601-352-2364) Hot breakfast and weekday lunch: catfish, pantrout, fried chicken wings, blue plates, red beans & rice, pork chops, chicken & dumplings, burgers, po-boys...does your grandma cook like this?

WHY PAY MORE TO PRINT?

Paid advertising section.

The Strawberry Café (107 Depot Drive, Madison, 601-856-3822) Full table service, lunch and dinner. Crab and crawfish appetizers, salads, fresh seafood, pastas, “surf and turf” and more. Veggie options. Desserts: cheesecake, Madison Mud and strawberry shortcake.

Two Sisters Kitchen (707 N. Congress St. 601-353-1180) 2010 Best of Jackson winner for fried chicken offers a sumptious buffet of your choice of veggies, a salad bar, iced tea & one of three homemade desserts. Lunch only. M-F 11-2, Sun. 10:30-2.

FINE DINING Huntington Grille at the Hilton (1001 East County Line Road 601--957-1515) Chef Luis Bruno offers fresh Gulf seafood, unique game dishes and succulent steaks alongside an expansive wine selection; multiple honors from Best of Jackson, Wine Specator and others.

Schimmelʼs (2615 N. State St. 601-981-7077) Creative southern fusion dishes at attractive prices make the atmosphere that mush more enticing. New appetizer menu, “Martini Night Football” and others bar specials for football season!

Steam Room Grille (5402 I-55 North 601--899-8588) Great seafood featuring steamed lobster, crab, shrimp and combo patters. Grilled specialities include shrimp, steaks, and kabobs. Fresh fish fried seafood, lunch menu, catering, live music.

$2 OFF INK REFILL (min. purchase $10)

$5 OFF TONER REFILL (min. purchase $30)

One per customer. Not valid with other offers.

Code JFPCPN. Location Name: Madison & Flowood | Madison: 601-603-2314 and Flowood: 601-939-3373 www.cartridgeworldusa.com

MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EASTERN Aladdin Mediterranean Grill (730 Lakeland Drive 601-366-6033) Delicious authentic dishes including lamb dishes, hummus, falafel, kababs, shwarma and much more. Consistent award winner, great for takeout or for long evenings with friends.

Jerusalem Café (2741 Old Canton Road 601-321-8797) Yes, it’s a hookah bar in Jackson, which also happens to have a great Meditterean menu, including falafel, lamb shank, feta salad, kabob, spinach pie, grape leaves and baba ghanouj.

Kristos (971 Madison Ave @ Hwy 51, Madison, 601-605-2266) Home of the famous Greek meatball! Hummus, falafel, dolmas, pita sandwiches, salads, plus seasoned curly fries (or sweet potato fries) and amazing desserts.

Petra Cafe (104 West Leake Street, Clinton 601-925-0016) Mediterranean and Lebanese cuisine in the charm of Olde Towne Clinton. Stuffed grape leaves, spinach pie, shrimp kabobs, greek salads, hummus and more. Lunch and dinner served seven days a week.

www.thepizzashackjackson.com

PIZZA

(BUDWEISER & BUD LIGHT) Stop by and watch Basketball on the flat screen

Dine-In / Carry-Out

CARRIBBEAN Taste of the Island (436 E. Capitol, Downtown, 601-360-5900) Jerk chicken or ribs, curry chicken or shrimp, oxtails, snapper or goat, plus bok choy, steamed cabbage and Jamaican Greens, Carry out, counter seating or delivery available. 11a-7p.

VEGETARIAN High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road in Rainbow Plaza 601-366-1513) Fresh, gourmet, tasty and healthy defines the lunch and brunch options at Jackson’s vegetarian (and vegan-friendly) restaurant. Weekly lunch specials push the envelope on creative and healthy; wonderful desserts!

Mon - Thur: 11am-10pm

601-352-2001 1220 N. State St. (across from Baptist Medical Center)

CATERING AVAILABLE

jacksonfreepress.com

The Pizza Shack (1220 N State St. 601-352-2001) 2009’s winner of Best Pizza offers the perfect pizza-and-a-beer joint. Creative pizza options abound (“Cajun Joe, anyone?”), along with sandwiches, wings, salads and even BBQ. Sal & Mookieʼs (565 Taylor St. 601-368-1919) Pizzas of all kinds plus pasta, eggplant parmesan and the local favorite: fried ravioli. Voted Best Chef, Best Kid’s Menu and Best Ice Cream in the 2009 Best of Jackson reader poll.

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Before You

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ARIES (March 21-April 19) From what I can tell, your excursion to Fake Paradise didn’t exact too serious a toll.

The accidental detour may have seemed inopportune in the moment, but you know what? I think it slowed you down enough to keep you from doing something rash that you would have regretted later. And are you really sorry you were robbed of your cherished illusions? In the long run, I think it was for the best. As for the scratches on your nose from when you stuck it into business you weren’t supposed to, they’re a small price to pay for the piquant lesson you got in how not to live.

Some people are here on the planet to find success, while others are here to find themselves. In the big scheme of things, I’m not sure which category you fit into, Taurus. But I’m pretty sure that for the next few weeks you’ll be best served by acting as if you’re the latter. Even if you think you’ve found yourself pretty completely in the past, it’s time to go searching again: There are new secrets to be discovered, in large part because you’re not who you used to be. So for now at least, I encourage you to give your worldly ambitions a bit of a rest as you intensify your self-explorations.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Being a paragon of moral behavior can be fun and rewarding. It’s amazing how many interesting people want to play with me just because they think I’m so #%&@ high-minded. But I’ve got to confess that my commitment to discipline and righteousness is sometimes at odds with my rebellious itch to give you mischievous nudges and outrageous challenges. Like right now, the conscientious teacher in me might prefer to advise you to keep a lid on debauchery, voracity, excess, uproar, slapstick, wise-cracking, fireworks and limit-pushing.

But the rabble-rousing agitator in me feels obligated to inform you that at no other time in 2010 will the karmic price be lower for engaging in such pursuits.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) It’s time for you to stop specializing in furtive glimpses and start indulging in brazen gazes. You’re ready to phase out your role as a peripheral influence and see if you can be more of a high-intensity instigator and organizer. Yes, Cancerian, you’ve earned the right to claim more credibility and clout—to leave your tentative position outside the magic circle and head in the direction of the sweet hot spot.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) “Nature seems to exult in abounding radicality, extremism, anarchy,” wrote Annie Dillard in “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.” “If we were to judge nature by its common sense or likelihood, we wouldn’t believe the world existed. In nature, improbabilities are the one stock in trade. The whole creation is one lunatic fringe . . . No claims of any and all revelations could be so far-fetched as a single giraffe.” (Dillard’s entire passage is here: http://bit.ly/TinkerCreek.) Reading this passage is a good way for you to prepare for the immediate future, Leo. Why? Because you’ll soon be invited to commune with outlandish glory. You’ll be exposed to stories that burst from the heart of creation. You’ll be prodded to respond to marvelous blips with marvelous blips of your own. But here’s the catch: It may all remain invisible to you if you’re blinded by the false belief that you live a boring, ordinary life.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) The storm is your friend right now, Virgo. So are the deep, dark night and the last place you’d ever think of visiting, and the most important thing you’ve forgotten about. So be more willing than usual to marinate in the mysteries—not with logical ferocity but with cagey curiosity. The areas of life that are most crucial for you to deal with can’t be fully understood using the concepts your rational mind favors. The feelings that will be most useful for you to explore are unlike those you’re familiar with.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Here’s your mantra for the coming week: “I disappear my fear. I resurrect my audacity.” Say it and sing it and murmur it at least 100 times a day. Let it flow out of you after you’ve awoken each morning and are still lying in bed. Let it be the last sound on your lips as you drop off

to sleep. Have fun with it. Dip into your imagination to come up with different ways to let it fly—say it as your favorite cartoon character might say it, like a person with a Swedish accent, like your inner teenager, like a parrot, like a grinning sage. “I disappear my fear. I resurrect my audacity. I disappear my fear. I resurrect my audacity.”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Have you ever heard about how some all-night convenience stores blast loud classical music out into the parking lot in order to discourage drug dealers from loitering? In the coming days, use that principle whenever you need to drive home a point or make a strong impression. Your aggressive expressions will be more effective if you take the darkness and anger out of them, and instead fill them up with forceful grace and propulsive compassion.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) The Hebrew word “chalom” means “dream.” In his book “Healing Dreams,” Marc Ian Barasch notes that it’s derived from the verb “to be made healthy and strong.”

Linguist Joseph Jastrow says that “chalom” is related to the Hebrew word “hachlama,” which means “recovery, recuperation.” Extrapolating from these poetic hints and riffing on your astrological omens, I’ve got a prescription for you to consider: To build your vitality in the coming weeks, feed your dreams. And I mean “dreams” in both the sense of the nocturnal adventures you have while you’re sleeping and the sweeping daytime visions of what you’d like to become.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) I just found out the American shipping company UPS has legally trademarked the color brown. The grassroots activist in me is incredulous and appalled. But the poet in me doesn’t really care; it’s fine if UPS owns drab, prosaic brown. I’ve still got mahogany at my command, as well as tawny, sepia, taupe, burnt umber, tan, cinnamon, walnut and henna. That’s especially important for this horoscope, Capricorn, because I’m advising you to be very down to earth, be willing to get your hands dirty, and even play in the muck if necessary in order to take good care of the basics. But don’t do any of that in a boring, humdrum “brown” way. Do it exotically and imaginatively, like mahogany, tawny, sepia, taupe, burnt umber, tan, cinnamon, walnut and henna.

“Special Effects”

24 Genetic messenger material: abbr.

27 Bon ___ (witticism) 28 Auntie on Broadway 31 WWII craft 33 Composer with a brass instrument named after him 35 Soprano henchman ___ Walnuts 36 Mail-in movie, perhaps 39 Really broad toast 40 Tiny amounts 41 Father of the casa 42 High-end German cars 43 Mil. subordinate 46 “Dexter” channel, for short

Down

1 Come ___ the cold 2 Holy U.S. city?

3 1994 Nobel Peace Prize co-winner 4 In a careless way 5 “Yo Gabba Gabba!” character who’s a “magic robot” 6 Spread on the table 7 1450, in Rome 8 Baseball Hall-of-Famer Wade 9 High demand?

10 Thought ___ (considered) 11 Old phonograph brand 12 Real ending for a Brit?

Last Week’s Answers

BY MATT JONES

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You are hereby excused from having to know a single nuance about the inside story of Angelina Jolie’s secret love tryst with Lady Gaga, or the addictions of conspiracy theorists who lose huge sums of money gambling on the end of the world, or the agony that millionaires suffer from having to support social services with their taxes. In fact, it’s a good time to empty your mind of extraneous, trivial and useless facts so that you can clear vast new spaces for more pressing data, like how you can upgrade your communication skills, why you should do some upkeep on your close alliances and what you might do to streamline your social life.

Last Week’s Answers

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) In my astrological opinion, you don’t need anything that shrinks you or deflates you or tames you. Influences that pinch your imagination should be taboo, as should anything that squashes your hope or crimps your life force. To make proper use of the vibrations circulating in your vicinity, Pisces, you should gravitate toward situations that pump up your insouciance and energize your whimsy and incite you to express the most benevolent wickedness you can imagine. You’ve got a mandate to fatten up your soul so it can contain a vaster sense of wonder and a more daring brand of innocence.

I’ve got two favors to ask of you. No pressure! I’ll still love you if you can’t help.

Go here for more info: http://bit.ly/TwoFavors.

“Sum Sudoku” Put one digit from 1-9 in each square of this Sudoku so that the following three conditions are met: 1) each row, column, and 3x3 box (as marked by shading in the grid) contains the digits 1ñ9 exactly one time; 2) no digit is repeated within any of the areas marked off by heavy black lines; and 3) the sums of the numbers in each area marked off by heavy black lines total the little number given in each of those areas. For example, the digits in the upper-leftmost square in the grid and the square directly to its right will add up to 15. Now quit wastin’ my time and solve!!!

jacksonfreepress.com

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

13 Sounds of indifference 18 His, to Henri 21 Come up short 25 Complete, with “down” 26 Took in a snack 28 Stubborn beast 29 “___ Lay Dying” 30 Magazine that debuted with Christa Miller on the cover 32 “No ifs, ands or ___” 33 Slammer 34 “Orpheus in the Underworld” composer Jacques 35 Loyal companions 36 Lexicographer Webster 37 Legendary Cadillac?

38 Sudoku component 39 Does some minor vandalism, briefly 42 Recycling receptacle 43 Singer-songwriter McKay 44 Hearts of Paris 45 Banded gems 48 Like many toothpastes 49 Boatload —with a little extra thrown in.

50 UK-based confederation that deals with human rights 47 Abbr. for people lacking parts of Across 52 Leave off names 1 Leaning typeface: abbr.

53 Inaugural reading 49 “If You Stub Your ___ the Moon” 5 ___ Wonderful (juice brand) 54 Achievement (Bing Crosby song) 8 Low point on a director’s resume 55 Captains’ books 51 He led a band of Merry Men 14 “Julie & Julia” director Ephron 56 Took the worm 56 Entreaty to get some cojones 15 Bus. alternative to a partnership 58 Futuristic MTV cartoon turned into 57 Ambient musician Brian 16 Klutzy a live-action Charlize Theron movie 17 Healthy bread ingredient that ©2010 Jonesin’ Crosswords 59 Accuse of a crime in court produces oil (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) 60 It’s game 19 You may want to get in them if For answers to this puzzle, call: 161 Frigid ending? they’re good 900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute.

62 Like some grins 20 One may check you out with a Must be 18+. Or to bill to 63 Shaker ___, OH hammer your credit card, call: 1-800-65564 Total disaster 22 Singers Anita and Molly 6548. Reference puzzle #0452.

23 Paper that reports on the DJIA

45

46

March 18 - 24, 2010

WE’VE GOT YOUR

GREEN RIGHT HERE!

NOT A BAD SEAT IN THE HOUSE.

$6 LUNCH MENU | MON-FRI 11-2 Open Mic Nite (Ridgeland) - Thursdays, 8-11:30pm To sign-up for Open Mic, call 601.605.9903. $10 Gift Card to new singers!

KARAOKE - Friday, March 19th, 8:00 - 11:00pm Gift certificates available at HalfOffDepot.com/Jackson

Dine-In • Carry Out • Catering 3 Locations: 574 Hwy 51, Ridgeland • 110 Bass Pro Dr., Pearl • 204 N 40th Ave., Hattiesburg

Natural & organic food and products for natural & organic people jacksonfreepress.com

Alumni House is your neighborhood sports grill with local flavor. We have an extensive menu featuring homemade twists on sports-themed restaurant classics. Stop in and let our friendly and attentive staff take care of your every need while you relax and enjoy all of your favorite sports action in Hi-Def.

47

Space available for Showers, Engagement Parties & Weddings

Tony’s Tire & Automotive, Inc.

mmmmmmmmmmmm coffee • culture • community

mmmmmmmmmmmm

601-960-3008 koinoniacoffee.com 136 S. Adams Street in Jackson (Adams & Metro Pkwy between Downtown & JSU)

$4999

$4999

• Foreign/Domestic repairs • AC & coolant repair • Timing Belt • Brakes

• Major engine repair • Batteries • Towing/Recovery • New & used tires

Owners - Tony Murphy, Sr. and Tony Murphy, Jr. 5138 N State St. Jackson, MS 39206 • Phone: 601-981-2414 • Fax: 601-981-2435 Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Supplying the Jackson Metro Area with Quality Store Fixtures to Organize, Improve, and Start-Up Your Business

Glass Showcases • Displays • Clothes Racks • Hangers • Hooks and more...

2469 Livingston Road | Jackson, MS 39213 601-454-7464 www.vicsfixtures.com

Lose weight... Be healthy!

We buy cars working or not. Call 601-573-8082

Clinton Duplex Apartment Spacious living/dining, kitchen, bedroom, den; hardwood floors, CH/A; five minutes to MC. $600/month, no pets; call 601-355-6548, leave a message.

Part Time Position-Briarwood Pet Shop Taking Applications for part time position. Work full days as needed

Miss Michelle Psychic Reader and Spiritual Advisor

1046 Greymont Ave. (behind La Cazuela) CALL US AT 601-397-6223!

AC Charge and Leak Detect

Want a better deal than that? Go to www.halfoffdepot.com/Jackson to save half off on your next visit to our shop (will apply to specials).

WE BUY CARS

Security Cameras • Attendant On Duty Drop Off Service • Free Wi-Fi

Oil Change and Tire Rotation

VIC’S STORE FIXTURES

Specializing in Palm, Tarot and Crystals. We accept all major credit cards 2327 Hwy 80 East in Pearl. Call now, 601-933-4113

Cashier and Assistant Manager

Seeking energetic Cashier and Assistant Manager.

7a.m to 2 p.m daily, M-F. Call Niki after 2:00, 601354-4044.

Tired of being tired? Sick of being too big?

Change your life now! Check it out FREE at bghealthforyou.com.

Jackson Office Space for Lease

Affordable office and meeting space for rent near downtown at 531 West Capitol Street. Call Lee Unger for info at 601-969-3088.

309 Catalina Circle

3 BR / 2 BA Fixer upper, Owner Financing or Cash Discount, $1000 Down, $430 a Month, 1-803-929-1117

Contractors Special

234 Keener Ave, 3 BR / 1 BA Fixer Upper, Owner Financing or Cash Dis, $500 Dn, $171 a mo, 1-803254-0474

Townhouse for Lease w/ Garage

Fondren- 2Bedroom, 11/2 Bath, 2 Car Garage. Lrg Covered Balcony Patio. W/D Conn., Dishwasher, Fireplace. 900.00 mon. (601) 317-0001

Get a better job, reach the Latino Market, small groups, Native teachers, Latino parties and reunions.

Call us: 601-977-1008

www.spanishms.com

Fondren

Art Gallery File Chapter 7 Bankruptcy for $999!

now offers

ART CLASSES &

($299 Federal Filing Fee Included!)

Interest Free Payment Plans Available

ART CONTEST

Neil B. Snead

For more info., 601.981.9222

A  C A L Jackson • (601) 316-7147

fondrenartgallery.com fondrenartgallery@gmail.com

FREE BACKGROUND INFORMATION AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

F JONES CORNER PRESENTS

MARCH 20, 2010 | 3 P.M.-4 A.M. Hosted by

after the parade on Saturday

THE BAILEY BROTHERS No Cover until 10 1 - $1 Beer 303 North Farish Street in Jackson, MS 39202 • 601-983-1148